There is enough VA to remark upon on the otherwise restrained and cool nose of black cherry, spice and lavender aromas. There is excellent detail and even more energy to the middle weight flavors compared to the regular cuvée while the focused finish is well-balanced and impressively long. While the VA isn't enough to really detract from the overall sense of purity, it certainly didn't add to it.

(ST90-92 points) Good dark red-ruby. Expressive aromas of purple fruits and dark chocolate show little of the medicinal aspect of the cuvée normale. Still, this juicy wine is in a rather cool style, showing a more apparent spicy character. A bit more tannic than the classique but not hard. This fruit-driven wine will need time in bottle to harmonize.