The 2018 Saint-Véran Vigne de Saint-Claude is only from old vines this year, cropped at some 55 hectoliters per hectare—low, by the standards of this copious vintage. Revealing aromas of pear, ripe citrus fruit, peach and hazelnuts, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with impressive concentration, lively acids and good length on the finish.
Generous wood sets off mostly aromas of matchstick and white orchard fruit scents. Here too there is fine volume to the mouth coating and sappy medium-bodied flavors that possess a caressing yet impressively intense mouth feel before terminating in a bone dry finish. I would observe that while this is carrying more wood than I personally prefer, this is a quality effort.