Chateau d'Esclans Les Clans 2020

Very perfumed with sliced strawberry, crushed stone, cement and some dried flowers. Medium body and a fine, linear palate with licorice and slate. Complex and subtle. Tight, lingering finish with peaches and cream. Drink or hold.

Fermented and aged in large sized oak casks, this is another successful vintage of Les Clans, holding its place in my estimation as the most enjoyable of the 'luxury' rosés. Delicate yet hugely gulpable with traces of rose petal, orange peel, citrus, raspberry and redcurrant. It has the barest hint of oak in terms of satin texture and expansion through the palate, but not getting in the way of a saline kick on the finish. I would add that if the alcohol really is as high as it says on the label it hides it extremely well. I'm including this in the Bordeaux-Provence tasting because of Sacha Lichine's links to Prieuré Lichine (and new partner LVMH has its own presence back in Bordeaux).

Mainly barrel-fermented Grenache with a small proportion of Rolle (Vermentino), the 2019 Cotes de Provence Rose Les Clans is a pale, coppery wine. Subdued scents of pencil shavings accent notes of peach, pineapple and melon on the nose, underscored by hints of crushed stone. It's broad and generous in the mouth, full-bodied and richly textured—the product of copious bâtonnage during aging in demi-muids—with prominent notes of cedar on the mouthwatering finish.

This wood-aged wine has a good balance between spicy toast and ripe red fruits. It is rich, with a dense structure and impressive concentration. The extra year after harvest has given the wine depth and a smooth maturity. Drink now.