critic reviews
The 2018 Les Champs Libres is more backward than the 2017, deprived the same delineation and mineralité by that summer's warmth. The palate is better with welcome flintiness on the entry, more energy and generosity coming through. A peppery touch on the close ensures this finishes on a high. Tasted from ex-château magnum at Kate & Kon's 40-Year vertical in Austria.
The 2018 Les Champs Libres has loads of SO2 with a core of bruised apples, pears, and wet pebbles, plus lemon zest. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with latent energy, finishing long and mineral. It needs time.
The 2018 Les Champs Libres, matured in Burgundy barrels on the fine lees, offers crisp apple blossom, Conference pear and light candle wax scents on a nose that gradually opens with aeration. The palate is lightly spiced on the entry, with Granny Smith apples, peach skin and quite a saline, almost Loire-like finish that feels very persistent. Excellent.