Community Tasting Note

cct wrote:

Saturday, February 17, 2024 - Side by side Clos Nouveau and Grand Mont on release tasting

Pop and pour and drunk over three nights.

Day 1: Cassis, plum, chocolate, florals, and wood spice. Mid to full bodied rich and ripe but holding itself much better than the '18 at a similar stage. Fleshy and sapid yet not heavy. More about fruit and density that varietal notes at this point. The wood is noticeable but well balanced, and I suspect it will integrate well in time. Quite long and polished on the back end with ripe tannins. Similar to the '15 for me and substantially better than the highly lauded and heady '18s. 92++

Day two the wood is still evident but more integrated and the wine comes into more focus. Baking spice. This grew in depth and breadth overnight, but still more about fruit and spice than varietal character. Deep, impressive and still polished but done extremely well. 94

Day 3 it has coalesced further, gaining focus, with the wood better integrated and varietal bell pepper notes come out, adding complexity. I still give the stylistic edge to the Grand Mont, but both of these are terrific and wines for the cellar. 95

These wines may not be for purists, but they have substance and at least with a lot of time open integrate the wood. I suspect they will shine with cellar time.

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