(BH91-94 points) An overtly spicy and very earth nose of red currant, plum and wet stone scents. There is lovely richness to the round, full-bodied and highly energetic medium-bodied flavors that exhibit firm tannins on the saline-infused finish. This is excellent and should reward mid to longer-term cellaring.

The 2011 Clos de la Roche was also singing at the time of my visit, jumping from the glass in a blaze of red and black cherries, raw cocoa, a lovely base of minerality, fresh herb tones, violets and just a touch of spicy oak (again, this was raised entirely in one wine barrels and saw no new wood). On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very sappy at the core, with outstanding intensity, lovely complexity and outstanding focus and grip on the suavely-tannic and very, very long finish. A supremely elegant and very intense young Clos de la Roche.

The 2011 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a lifted bouquet, perhaps with a slight tinny element at the beginning: touches of red cherries, dried rose petals and wet clay. The palate is well-defined and cohesive with some conspicuous oak influence on the entry. It does not fan out, remaining linear and focused with a strict finish with slightly bitter fruit on the aftertaste. Fine. Drink now-2019. - Neal Martin