“This is an amazing vintage for Clos Martinet.” - The Wine Advocate, 98 points

“Serious wine.” - Jancis Robinson MW, 17 points

Is there any other comestible product, that looks so similar to other variations of itself, yet can taste so different, as a glass of red wine? I mean, one cauliflower looks pretty much like another cauliflower and [with apologies to the cauliflower appreciation society] tastes pretty much like any other cauliflower, but a glass of red wine might look like any other, yet as soon as you taste it, you are taken on a flavour journey, that is unique to that particular bottle. It’s one of the reasons why we love it! Every glass of wine is a new experience.

I was thinking about that when I poured this deep crimson, almost-opaque liquid into my glass. How was it going to differentiate itself, to justify its price tag, compared to a wine at one tenth the price that looks almost identical. It only took one swirl and one inhalation for that to make sense. You don’t always get what you pay for with wine, but you rarely get what you don’t pay for, and I have to say that this wine really earns its keep. Beautiful floral top notes of Chinese lilac and neroli are interwoven with bass notes of cassis and boysenberry, rising and falling in a kind of crescendo and diminuendo, but the overall impression is soft, gentle and - dare I say it without being cancelled - feminine [you’re cancelled !- Ed.]. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2038.

The Wine Advocate: “The nose of the 2021 Clos Martinet is amazing, very different, perfumed, elegant and nuanced. I wondered why, and there was an explanation. In 2021, it had a shorter vinification, and part was fermented with carbonic maceration and matured mostly in concrete (like in 2009, when it was 100% in concrete, a one-off) and the rest in a 2,000-litre oak foudre. There's a lot of Garnacha (65%) and the vineyard is quite warm, so they had to find a way to equalise it down. It has 13.5% alcohol and a vibrant palate that is fine-boned and elegant, full of energy and an electric sensation of lightness. It's tasty and makes you salivate, with an almost salty touch. This is an amazing vintage for Clos Martinet. Drink now-2034.” 98 points

Vinous: “This garnet wine offers a reductive character atop a pure core of sour cherry, cinnamon, dried flowers and a faint note of undergrowth. Dry with fine-grained tannins, its compact and rich mouthfeel leads to a savoury long-lasting finish. This nuanced red is precisely defined and crystal clear on the palate. Drink now-2036.“ 97 points

Jancis Robinson MW: “Rich, smoky, tobacco leaves on the nose. Very juicy and complete. Lots of tannin in evidence but lots of fruit too. Bone-dry, very long finish with reverberant fruit. Serious wine. Drink now-2032.” 17 points