Austerity takes over on the attack; you really have to give it five minutes to soften and allow the black cherry and raspberry fruit to make itself felt.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lacoste-Borie opens with baked plums, stewed cherries, cassis and milk chocolate with earth and herbs. Medium to full-bodied, firm and chewy, it has a good fruit core and an herbal lift on the finish.