The 2019 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru was one of the more introverted wines in this tasting, unwinding in the glass with notes of plums and berries mingled with hints of clove, orange rind and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, lively and structured, with chewy tannins that assert themselves on the finish, it couldn't be more different from its charming neighbor Clos Saint-Denis.

The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru was much more muted on the nose compared to the Clos Saint-Denis (although the oak treatment is identical). This is a little withdrawn at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, quite firm in the mouth, a more masculine wine compared to the Clos Saint-Denis but without the same finesse. A bit like Dujac, this is a pair where I prefer the Clos that replies to the name Denis.

The 2014 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru has a very refined bouquet, initially timid but then gaining intensity in the glass with blackberry, earthy tones and fine underlying minerality. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip, very intense black cherry fruit and is more detailed on the finish than the Clos Saint Denis. There is an abiding sense of sophistication here, a wine that will ultimately and justifiably demand respect.

The 2013 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has black spicy fruit, a little metallic perhaps at this early juncture, that actually dissipates with aeration. The palate is succulent and plush in the mouth, quite an extravagant palate with thickly layered blackberry and boysenberry fruit and a touch of salinity on the finish. Excellent - this could be one of the most long-aging wines from Benjamin this year.