A perfumed nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, chocolate, undergrowth, sandalwood, sage and spice box. Pure fruit. Medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained, well-integrated tannins and fresh acidity. Plush texture with great balance. Long, delicious finish.

The 2019 Villemaurine, which was the final vintage under Justin Onclin, has a well-defined, focused bouquet of red berry fruit, touches of sous-bois and that marine scent that I noticed from the barrel sample. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. There is a veneer of new oak that needs to be subsumed, but this has a lovely plushness and sensuality toward the finish.

Fleshy and generous, the 2019 Villemaurine wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet berry fruit, warm spices and creamy new oak. It's medium to full-bodied, rich and polished, with a ripe core of fruit, lively acids and fine, powdery tannins, concluding with a vanillin-inflected finish.