2020 Joseph Drouhin, Beaune Premier Cru, Le Clos des Mouches Rouge

One of the highlights of the range is the 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches (Domaine), a nicely balanced cuvée that wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, raspberries, orange rind, loamy soil and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and elegant, with ripe tannins, lively acids and a saline finish, it will offer a broad drinking window.

The 2020 Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 1er Cru is quite dark and limpid in colour. The nose is tightly-wound at first, quite candied with orange rind/blood orange filtering through the mixture of red and black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, but they seem to resolve themselves, and it finishes with much more precision than I expected. I feel that this Clos des Mouches is still coalescing, but the potential is clear.

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Fresh redcurrant scent, integrated herby complexity. Tension between the red and green flavours gives attractive layering. Light tannins, fresh acid, medium body, but finishes with more gusto: there is warmth and power at the end. (RH)