The 2018 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru initially has a slight reduction on the nose, red cherries and cranberry, like the 2018 Clos des Lambrays, clarifying with aeration and exhibiting fine transparency. It does not have the grandeur of the aforementioned Lambrays. The palate is more promising with layers of pure black cherry and bilberry fruit, white pepper and tobacco. Very fine delineation on the finish, taut and precise, this exerts just the right amount of grip on the finish. This should age extremely well in bottle. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

No stems but lots of whole berries. Leroux says he has a very good destemmer for Pinot – more gentle. Stems not ripe enough. Barrel sample. So fragrant – fragrantly peppery – Morey at its best. Dark-red fruit on the palate, both pure and sweet and silky. So ready it will be bottled in January. Gorgeously seductive in fruit and perfectly elegant in tannins. Great wines are good any time, says Leroux (after Henri Jayer). (JH)