Clos Erasmus 2021

I retasted the 2021 Clos Erasmus to compare it with the 2022 and 2023. The three vintages are very different. This 2021 has an ethereal character and comes through as a cool-climate wine; it doesn't have the same weight as the 2022 or 2023, but it has something intriguing and very attractive, with a magnetic attraction. It's a little shy when recently opened, but it's floral and aromatic. "It's usually orange blossom," Daphne Glorian told me, "but today, I find it more austere and not as aromatic, a little more backward." I don't dislike restraint, which to me is a sign of wines that are going to age well in bottle. It opened up slowly to notes of saffron, aromatic herbs, a little balsamic with medicinal notes and also something earthy with hints of black truffles. When I tasted this wine, it was a stormy day, with low pressure, which to me make the wines earthier. Violets came with time and some dry roses, but there were more violets than white flowers this time. It's interesting to check the evolution and provide a follow up for a wine that feels like it is aging very slowly, with a beautiful dark ruby color. And it's going to continue like this...