Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Friday, April 28, 2023 - 100% Pinot Noir from the monopole vineyard of the Gros family, the 2,12-hectare 1er Cru Clos des Réas. Average vineyard age 40 years. Aged for 18 months in oak pièces (typically 50-70% new). Annual production 10,000 bottles. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Deep, somewhat evolved and surprisingly opaque dark cherry color. The nose is fragrant - even somewhat perfumed - yet at the same time relatively savory with aromas of violets and developed meaty character, some spicy notes of coniferous forest, a little bit of crunchy red fruit, light peppery tones, a hint of ripe raspberry and a touch of cranberry. The wine feels ripe, savory and vibrant on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of gamey meat and ripe red plum, some tart lingonberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of spicy and slightly peppery Pinosity, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of ripe raspberry. The wine is high in acidity with firm medium tannins. The finish is savory, dry and gently grippy with a dry aftertaste of crunchy red plum and cranberry, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sweeter notes of ripe dark berries, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of spicy Pinosity.

A very nice, harmonious and sophisticated wine. I actually wrote in my original tasting notes how the wine seemed quite like Pinot Noir, yet I went for a more obscure Southwestern France wine instead, mainly because the wine was pretty muscular and especially so atypically dark in color for a Pinot Noir - I thought there was no way this was a Pinot! Oh well. Nevertheless, this was a very enjoyable and balanced effort - and I'm surprised if the wine sees that much new oak, since the wine didn't come across as particularly oaky at any point! Either the wine carries its new oak remarkably well, or it has integrated wonderfully with the fruit in these dozen-plus years. All in all, the wine is still pretty youthful - apart from those slightly evolved meaty tones - so most likely this wine will continue to age gracefully for another decade or two. Lovely.

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