Aromas of red berries, forest floor and spices introduce the 2017 Monthélie Les Duresses, a medium-bodied, succulent wine framed by melting but chalky tannins.

The 2017 Monthélie Les Duresses was in barrel until October and then racked into tank as Lafon felt it was ready. It has a delightful bouquet of red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, plus a little sous-bois . The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic tannins, but delivers pretty, earthy fruit and a light-hearted finish full of joie-de-vivre .

Vines aged 30+ years. The vineyard faces east and is late ripening so is always the last to be picked. Tasted from tank, already blended and will be lightly filtered before bottling in a couple of weeks and then dispatched with the 2016s because he has so little of the latter. Lightish crimson, gently spiced, juicy and peppery. Relatively light but easy to drink and with good length that ends on a spicy finale. (JH)