Château Clarisse "Vieilles Vignes" 2018

A medium-bodied red with very nice density and layers. Firm, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Blue fruit and black-tea undertones. Some bark and moss, too, suggesting old vines. Try after 2021.

Cigar aromatics. The very high alcohol defines the palate from beginning to end, stamping its bitterness, sweetness, heat and weight without any of the ameliorating complexities of flavour or acidity to balance or create dimension. A bit of a stomping bully. (TC)

The 2018 Clarisse Cuvée Vieilles Vignes has an initially compact bouquet of blackberry and briary aromas, opening nicely with aeration to reveal an attractive marine-infused scent. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins, crisp acidity and a precise, cedar-infused blackberry finish. Well crafted and classic in style, this should drink well for a decade, possibly more.

Luscious, rich, sweet, round, earthy, juicy red fruits, with smoke, licorice and chocolate nuances are found in every delicious sniff, swirl and sip. This will be just fine to enjoy on release and for at least another decade after that.

Coming from a selection of old vines on the upper plateau, the 2018 Château Clarisse Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is another outstanding wine from this estate that has perfumed cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as spice, toasty oak, and dried flower-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced, with silky tannins, it's well worth following over the coming 10-12 years or so.