Alex Hunt: Odd nose—like cheese and puff pastry, slightly spicy. That sounds bad, but in fact this is very attractive. The palate, perhaps fortunately, is more conventional, with good depth, freshness, and carefully managed tannin. There is good concentration of summer berry fruit here and a fine seam of minerality. Overall, very nicely made, appetizing wine- 16

Andrew Jefford: Saturated red-purple color. A warm, full, muscular aromatic profile agreeably synthesizing red fruits and savory notes. There’s a powdered stone note here that I didn’t find in any of the wines of the previous regional subgroup [Chinon]; it also smells as if it comes from a slightly warmer location that has delivered extra ripeness and fat. Outstanding wine: broad, deep, structured, aromatically allusive, complete, as stimulating as it is satisfying. I love the combination of natural vivacity with width, depth, and minerality. There is nothing obvious here, either—and the subtlety and harmony of expression leave you with a sense of place rather than method- 17

Simon Larkin: Inky in the glass, holds color to rim. The aromas are much more lead pencil, leafy here, even iodine, as well as dark cherry fruit. The palate is taut, with fresh berry fruit, quite leafy, ashy, almost. There is a notable rasp of youthful acidity to the finish, which tapers off to leave a grippy, lingering fruit. A little ungainly at present, but there is vibrancy and a good weight of fruit- 11