Château Grand Village 2021

Softly floral-touched blackcurrants – violet and lilac, quite a subtle perfumed tone to them but giving such expressive aromas to the nose with touches of smoked earth and sweet milk chocolate. Juicy and succulent, a whoosh of bright fruit juice – red cherry and strawberry – really so lively then straightens and becomes more direct. Lots of minerality and salinity on show, lifted and aerial. The structure and frame comes more towards the end rather than on the mid-palate, growing in depth and density until a noticeable weight appears with a mineral, salty, iodine finish. Elegant from the start however, finessed with freshness and such supreme approachability. Utterly lovely. Drinking window: 2026-2035. Score – 94. (Georgina Hindle, decanter.com)