A definite overperformer, the 2021 Grandes Murailles has turned out beautifully this year. Offering up aromas of dark berries, red plums, orange zest, rose petals and truffle, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered core of fruit, powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a floral finish. It's 100% Merlot from a two-hectare parcel just outside the village of Saint-émilion.

The writing is on the wall for this estate, which will be incorporated into its neighbor Clos Fourtet, but the 2020 Grandes Murailles has turned out quite well, exhibiting aromas of blackberries, licorice, sweet spices, petals and toasty new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's a touch more overtly extracted in profile than its suaver 2019 counterpart.

From a picturesque vineyard on the appellation's limestone plateau next to Clos Fourtet (and similarly owned by the Cuvelier family), the 2019 Grandes Murailles has turned out very well, offering up aromas of wild berries, plums, raw cocoa and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, it's velvety and vibrant, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. This is a Saint-émilion that deserves to be better known.