Domaine de Courcel Les Croix Noires Pommard 1er Cru 2022

The 2022 Croix Noires was quite different from the 2021, with a dark colour and a super-ripe blackberry and plum fruit aroma with hints of earth, cigar leaf, and leather. The texture is dense yet supple; the tannins only kick in at the end. This wine does not lack structure, but it is more approachable than many in this cellar. The grapes are from just over a half-hectare down the slope from Chaponnières and not far from Rugiens-Bas. The grapes were fermented as whole clusters and are ageing in older casks. Drinking window: 2030-2065. Score – 94. (Charles Curtis, MW, decanter.com, May 29, 2023)