The former home of Alexis Lichine is now owned by a Pacific-based French mining company. The low yields of the 2010 (the vineyard was hit by hail) have produced a smooth and rich style of wine, which is weighty while also showing fine acidity on the finish. This has definite aging potential.

Takes a dense, slightly chunky approach, with bittersweet cocoa and espresso up front followed by a core of dark currant, plum sauce and anise. Features charcoal-laden grip on the finish, showing ample stuffing and polished fruit. Should settle in once the modern toast treatment gets soaked up.

Prieuré-Lichine is really making good wines these days- albeit with just a bit of the modern gloss in evidence- and I would be very excited to see none of the wine undergo malo in barrel in the future, as this wine could be even better if the terroir here was placed front and center in the wine. In any case, the 2010 Prieuré-Lichine is very good indeed, as it offers up a classy nose of dark berries, sweet cassis, espresso, cigar ash, some soil tones and a judicious base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just a touch over polished in style, but with a good core of fruit, lovely purity for the vintage, ripe, well-integrated tannins and very good length and grip on the focused finish. A fine result that could be one of the best wines in the commune if it were totally “old school” in style.