Le Comte de Malartic 2020

Lots of crushed stone, redcurrant and bark aromas and flavors. Some iodine. Medium to full body with soft, round tannins and a savory finish. Needs three or four years to come together. Second wine. Best after 2025.

The 2020 Le Comte de Malartic Rouge is a blend of 78.2% Merlot, 17.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it offers up notes of stewed black cherries, boysenberries, and fresh blackcurrants with hints of wild sage and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate offers lively black fruits with a soft, fine-grained texture and vibrant finish.

The nose is fruity, offering subtle richness, a precise, structured edge, an iodized note and a lovely grain. It reveals notes of fresh blackberry/blackberry, strawberry and, more delicately, violet, with hints of dark chocolate and violet, along with a subtle touch of cornflower, refined minerality and vanilla. The palate is fruity, fresh and dynamic, with a pleasant tang, bright, refreshing fruit expression and beautiful minerality. On the palate, this wine delivers juicy/pulpy blackberry, creamy small berries and, more subtly, vibrant raspberry, with fine hints of violet, pulpy cherry and vanilla, and discreet toasted—almost sweet—nuances. The tannins are supple. Good length. Lovely freshness and tang on the finish. A discreet hint of pleasant bitterness in the background.