One of the many benefits of working with such old vines on the La Crau plateau, Daniel Brunier says, is that because the plants are low-yielding, they are less likely to suffer from hydric stress, even during a dry vintage like 2020. The fruit remains buoyant, balanced, and, in this case, ripe with olive, sage, and velvety black cherry. Tannins are softer this year than they were in 2019, but this vintage is nonetheless bold and ready to age for as long as you’re patient enough to cellar it. Jane Augustine, Kermit Lynch