Les Perrières,

Aerian, chalky fine tannins, and a heightened floral edge of peony and violets, caressed by gunsmoke and saffron. This is on the frontier of cool blue fruits, both austere and yet creamy. Brilliant, a wine to settle in for, and watch develop. Harvest September 11 to 19, vines all massal selection from Ch Lafleur, planted in 2016.

A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, the 2020 Les Perrieres is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock earthy/broody scents of tar, black truffles, smoked meats, and crushed rocks, leading to a core of black cherries and stewed plums, plus a waft of chalk dust. The full-bodied palate is wonderfully bright and energetic, featuring vibrant black fruits with great tension and very fine-grained tannins, finishing long and minerally.

The 2020 Les Perrières has quite an intense bouquet with blackberry, Dorset plum, warm gravel and light graphite scents that unfurls in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a hint of pencil lead on the entry, taut and quite precise tannins here, fine tension, just the right amount of salinity and bitterness surfacing towards the finish that retains somewhat a strong estuarine element. Very fine.