This possesses a brooding nose that is compositionally rather similar to that of the Charmes except that the sauvage aspect is notably more pronounced. There is a lovely sense of vivacity to the big, broad and robust flavors that possess plenty of concentration and focused power while delivering flat out astonishing persistence. The mid-palate is replete with seemingly buckets of dry extract that not only stains the palate but also buffers the formidable tannic spine on the impeccably well-balanced finish. This is a very serious wine that will definitely require extended cellaring to realize its full potential.

Score: 95 Allen Meadow (AM), Bourghound (BH), January 2015

(production here was just 24 hectoliters per hectare, according to Perrot-Minot): Bright, dark red. Expressive nose melds raspberry, black cherry, mocha, coffee, tobacco and spices, lifted by a topnote of orange zest. Concentrated and wild on the palate, offering terrific sweetness and thickness but also outstanding inner-mouth tension. Dark fruit flavors are complicated by a saline quality and a hint of game. The explosively long, ripely tannic finish shows a medicinal reserve that suggests this wine will evolve very slowly.

Score: 94 Stephen Tanzer (ST), Vinous Media (VM), March 2015