IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

These vines,' he asserts, 'are as close as is possible to the mother chalk' at the narrow, northern tip of the appellation. Incidentally, this was the wine Laurent chose to show last in presenting his collection. Cherry and black raspberry with their spirituous Doppelganger; forest floor you could measure in acres; a field of violets; and enough roasted game to do a Medieval banquet proud combine for an aromatic display of remarkable depth and intensity.

On a palate of incredible textural richness, liqueur-like black fruits; palpably dense chalkiness; demiglace of myriad meats; and mysterious notes of decadent wood and forest creatures pick up further complexity (as if this weren't over-kill!) from toasted pralines, brown spices, and dark chocolate. This finishes like a tidal wave moving across the palate with sinister reverberation, yet for all of its viscosity, density, and power, if leaves behind a feeling and flavors as uplifting as they are ultimately ineffable.