The 2020 Le Prieure is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with 14.3% alcohol. It is aging for an anticipated 16 months in French oak barriques, 35% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little swirling and coaxing to reveal fragrant notes of lilacs, underbrush and sandalwood over a core of Morello cherries and plum preserves, plus a waft of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate has beautiful energy and tension, featuring layers of juicy red and black fruits with a plush texture, finishing long and perfumed. What a stunner!

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Le Prieure prances out of the glass with flamboyant scents of rose oil, cinnamon toast, ground cloves and cedar chest over a core of Morello cherries, wild blueberries and plum preserves. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with impressive energy and tension, featuring finely grained tannins to support the red and black fruit flavors, finishing long and fragrant. Give it a couple of years more for the oak to fully integrate, and drink it over the next 18+ years.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Le Prieure is a little mute to start, offering glimpses at cedar chest and baked cherries notions with nuances of warm plums, pencil shavings and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate has great freshness with bags of bright red and black berries layers and rounded tannins, finishing earthy.

The 2016 Le Prieure has an attractive, quite floral bouquet with plenty of blackberry and blueberry fruit, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, plenty of blackberry and bilberry fruit intermingling with tobacco and spice towards the finish. This is a fine Le Prieuré from Paul Goldschmidt (see also Le Siaurac and Vray Croix de Gay) but let's see if it surpasses the excellent 2015.