2020 Chateau Le Prieure, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France 750ml

The 2020 Le Prieure is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with 14.3% alcohol. It is aging for an anticipated 16 months in French oak barriques, 35% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little swirling and coaxing to reveal fragrant notes of lilacs, underbrush and sandalwood over a core of Morello cherries and plum preserves, plus a waft of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate has beautiful energy and tension, featuring layers of juicy red and black fruits with a plush texture, finishing long and perfumed. What a stunner! (LPB)

This is a lovely wine, sculpted and precise, with a fine but confident tannic frame, filled with blueberry and raspberry fruit, and a saline sting (my words En Primeur, and I absolutely stand by them now it is in bottle). Penolope Godefroy technical director at this 6.2ha estate, Vincent Millet director, Jean Claude Berrouet consultant. This was the year that saw the handover from Artemis Domaines to Arkea. 30hl/ha, organic winemaking.