The 2018 Clos de la Bergerie comes from a 3.5-hectare vineyard that comprises the same soil composition (schist and quartz) as Coulée de Serrant but from vines in deeper soil and on milder slopes, allowing the maturity to peak just slightly later. The yellow-golden wine opens with a deep, pure, intense and detailed, finely spicy nose of perfectly ripe and healthy grapes (just 3% to 5% botrytis) intertwined with yeasty and flinty notes as well as noble yet very discreet oaky ones. This is a noble, elegant and complex Roche-aux-Moines. The palate is pure and rich at the same time and also very intense and sustainably aromatic, full of salt and tension and coated with a silky, crystalline texture and these marvelous stone fruit aromas. Given the heat and drought of the vintage, the finesse and vitality of the 2018 is absolutely stunning and proves the excellent terroir, in particular, in vintages like this. A great 2018 indeed, despite 15.5% natural fermented alcohol. (SR)