Dark and brooding in the glass, the 2020 Claude's Cuvée emanates up with an earthy blend of crushed plums, pencil lead, blackberries and sweet sage. This is sleek and racy in style with juicy acidity that propels its ripe red and black fruits. Savory herbal tones swirl, and edgy tannins slowly collect toward the close. It leaves a staining of concentration, finishing lightly structured and with a bitter balsamic twang that lingers on. The Claude's Cuvée, a blend of 46% Syrah, 29% Graciano, 15% Mataro and 10% Grenache, is full of potential.

A Syrah-based release with smaller amounts of Mourvèdre and Grenache (I think there's a splash of Tempranillo as well), the 2020 Claude's Cuvee has an Hermitage-like bouquet of roasted herbs, licorice, ground pepper, and meaty, leathery nuances as well as full-bodied richness, a great core of ripe Syrah fruit, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's another rich, mouth-filling release from this estate that's more than noteworthy in the vintage.