2004 Clos de Tart

(bottled in April of '06; 13.8% alcohol) Good deep medium red. Nuanced, very sexy aromas of red cherry, minerals and faded rose, accented by a peppery quality that Pitiot says is slightly vegetal. Quite suave and fine in the mouth, with a silky texture, ripe balancing acidity, and a very light touch. The juicy, peppery quality carries through on the palate, giving the wine very good grip. Finishes long and fine. "You can drink this wine now, but I'm not sure about its ageability," says Pitiot, who added that he did not know if the wine would develop as well, or last as long, as the 2001 release.

From the bottom of the slope: Medium red. Blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, minerals and dark chocolate on the nose. Quite firm, even a bit lean, in the mouth, with notes of licorice, herbs and pepper. With moderate stuffing, the tannins seem a bit dry. From the middle of the slope: Good full red. Blackcurrant, raspberry, violet, minerals, underbrush and menthol on the complex nose. Much sweeter and suppler than the first sample, with stronger fruit framed by harmonious acidity. Finishes much broader and longer. From vines at the top of the hill: Red-ruby color. Aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, licorice and minerals. Very intensely flavored but stubbornly closed today, dominated by its firm spine of acidity. Finishes chewy, tannic and long but not dry, with flavors of crushed rock and bitter chocolate. Quite uncompromising. A blend of the three major components, which Pithiot warns may not be exactly representative of the final wine: Good ruby-red. Blackberry, cassis and licorice on the nose. Intensely flavored and serious but on the dry side, even a bit austere, with a peppery nuance. Not a sweet wine but offers good breadth. The wine's acids currently give the finish a slight hard edge.