From just over a hectare of 60-year-old vines at mid-slope, where white marl gives way to deep red clay, the Rugiens is the most commanding wine in the Courcel range. The 2022 is generous and almost fleshy; ripe plum and blackberry at the core, lifted by earth, smoke, and the sweet clove spice that is so characteristic of this site. The texture is firm yet supple, with abundant extract and silky, supportive tannins that carry to an impressively long finish. This is a wine built for the long haul, expect it to begin opening in five to seven years, with a drinking window that stretches comfortably across the decades beyond.

95 Points - Decanter