It's the 2020 vintage, to start with, already the stuff of legend And it's the primo Pommard 1er Cru in the Hospices' constellation Pommard 1er Cru 'Dames de la Charité'.

This is the most prestigious of the Hospices de Beaune's impressive presence in Pommard, coming from the premier cru vineyards of Les Rugiens, La Refene, Les Combes Dessus and les Petits Epenots. It's that purple color we associate with Roman emperors' cloaks. The nose is a fine mix of red fruits and blackcurrant, with dark-berry fruit on the attack and black cherry as it develops on the palate. Fine, but earthy and muscular, with a lot of depth and complexity in the long finish.