Clos René 2021

The 2021 Clos René reveals aromas of minty cherries, berries and toasty oak, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate framed by powdery tannins.

Smells quite okay and toasted on the nose with potent blackcurrant and dark berry fruit aromas. Fruit is a little light, but there’s a juicy side to it, redcurrant and raspberry, yet it loses some drive and vibrancy toward the mid palate and finishes a touch dry. It doesn’t feel overdone per se, but the fruit lacks a bit more depth. Still, it’s sleek and light-footed. Just not wow.

This shows notes of currants, dried herbs, paprika and olives. Lovely freshness and savory character to the dark fruit. It’s medium-bodied, sleek and linear on the palate. Try after 2024.

The 2021 Clos René has not really gained much intensity during its élevage and lacks the density that I have appreciated in recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry, fine acidity and a linear finish that needs more substance. It's a decent, early-drinking Pomerol hemmed in by the growing season.

Dried flowers, dried cherries and raspberries pop on the nose with little effort. On the palate, the wine is light, soft, fresh, vibrant and refined, with a sweetness to the red fruits that carries all the way through to the finish. This is a fine, well-priced, early-drinking charmer. Drink from 2024–2032.

Possessing an old-school, complex perfume of red and black fruits, leather, leafy herbs, and smoked tobacco, the 2021 Clos René hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a round, mouth-filling texture, fine tannins, and terrific balance. It plays in the fresher style of the vintage, yet it has terrific depth of fruit. Give bottles 2–4 years and enjoy over the following decade.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: restrained, herbal bouquet, blackberries, cherries, fresh herbs, toasted notes. A taut, slender palate with sweet fruit, finely sandy tannins, a slightly angular structure, good aromatics, and a light finish.

Restrained, austere bouquet, blackberries, cherries, fresh herbs, roasted notes. A firm, slender palate with sweet fruit, finely sandy tannins, a slightly bony structure, good aromatics, light finish. 16/20 2025 - 2037

Rustic tannins, with capsicum edging to the cassis fruits that definitely suggest ripening is only just achieved. Enjoyably unfussy berry fruit, smoked earth and undergrowth, ready for early to medium-term drinking, has estate signature and is resolutely old-school. Not tasted En Primeur.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Clos Rene opens with notes of juicy black plums and boysenberry preserves plus an undercurrent of tree bark, dusty soil, and sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate has a light, pleasant chewiness, with refreshing acidity and a spicy kick to the finish.

Despite the challenges of the vintage, 2021 is particularly charming. You can sense the fruit’s “al dente” character, with delicate notes of piquillos, but the precise extraction and well-judged élevage make it approachable already.

A hint of freshly ground coffee and cedar on the nose, with smoothness and a fairly classic roundness. The palate is still tight, but not excessively so, with a very pleasant leafy impression. The finish is fairly long, remaining fresh and tense.