Domaine Faiveley, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2020

The wine has an inky dark colour and pronounced aromas of blackberry, fig, smoke and spice. The texture is lush, yet there are firm tannins and the wine never seems overbearing or aggressive - everything is kept in elegant balance. Faiveley is the proprietor of three parcels that total 1.27ha in the Clos de Vougeot, including a portion in Grand Maupertuis and two parcels nearer the bottom. The fruit was picked very ripe (14.5%) and partially destemmed before fermentation, with a very careful extraction and ageing in cask (half new).

The 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is excellent, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berry fruit, cassis, orange rind and spices, framed by a deft touch of classy new oak. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's rich and concentrated, with lively acids and a long, resonant finish. This is one site that clearly thrived in this warm, dry vintage.

The 2020 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, comes from three parcels, two at the bottom and one in the middle) has a slightly ripe and more outgoing bouquet than the Echézeaux with wild strawberry, raspberry, touches of brown sugar and kirsch. Surprisingly sweet towards the finish, this almost overdelivers in terms of fruit, though it is just missing a little finesse on the finish. Still, it feels harmonious and minerally and I suspect will age well in bottle.