2017 Domaine Chandon de Briailles, Corton Grand Cru, Le Clos du Roi

Aromas of rose hip and rose petals, blood orange, sweet dark fruits and raw cocoa introduce the 2017 Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru, a full-bodied, satiny wine that's beautifully fragrant and complete, with elegantly fine-grained structuring tannins and a pure, mineral-driven finish. As usual, it's higher-toned and less gourmand than the fleshy Bressandes, but it's the deeper and more serious wine, if only marginally.

The 2017 Corton Clos-du-Roi Grand Cru comes from a parcel located on its highest contours. It has the most accomplished aromatics of the domaine’s Grand Crus, featuring shimmering cranberry and raspberry scents, sous-bois and tea leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and more substance than either the Les Maréchaudes or the Bressandes. The seductive, smooth finish bulges with red fruit. Superb.