Simon Field | Dark dangerous color, then an intrusive woody note, uncompromising and somewhat vulgar. The dark fruit that lurks beneath is inevitably compromised, and the prognosis is not strong. | 86

Andrew Jefford | Dark, dense opaque black-red. Powerfully but youthfully fruity here, with a pungent rawness to its black cherry and bramble fruit. Characterful and very attractive already, even though a year or two should add more perfumed refinement. The ripeness of the fruits is lively and sappy, not sweet, raisiny, or baroque— indeed, there’s almost a little green freshness in there. Hugely intense and deep on the palate, and a wine ready for the very longest haul. The tannins are absolutely magnificent, some of the very best in this tasting, and despite their structural prominence, there is no sense of imbalance here. What we have is a dense, dark, brooding wine of great grandeur and authority. Bravo. It’s also a true Languedoc thoroughbred, very different in style from the best of the Rhône, of Madiran or Cahors, or of Bordeaux: deep, searching, and close-grained, yet fresh, full of Mediterranean forest intimations, unsweet, and without any obviousness or vulgarity. 2020–35. | 94

Jancis Robinson | Particularly dark, dense crimson—looks like Syrah! Actually not that intense on the nose, oddly enough. A bit overblown and overextracted. Sour and aggressive on the palate, with drying tannins. Quite a dramatic wine that could please if served with chewy food but not a great pleasure. 2019–22. | 87