2018 Clos de la Roche

Aromas of ripe black fruit—cherries, blackberries—mingle with hints of plum preserve, smoke and dark chocolate to introduce Raphet's 2018 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, a full-bodied, velvety and gourmand wine that's rich and enveloping, with ripe acids, melting tannins and a balsamic finish. Generous and front-loaded, this is already drinking well in its luscious, fruit-driven style, but given its borderline overripe profile, I suspect it won't make old bones, and it will appeal more to Burgundy newcomers than to seasoned purists.