Revisited from bottle, the 2018 Charlemagne Grand Cru has turned out nicely, unwinding in the glass with scents of frangipane, fresh pear, Meyer lemon, white flowers and praline. Medium-bodied, delicate and fine-boned, its elegantly textural attack segues into an attractively ample mid-palate that's girdled by bright acids, concluding with an understated but nicely penetrating finish.

The 2016 Charlemagne Grand Cru was showing some reduction on the nose, although there was a subtle peppermint scent that gradually eked out with aeration. The palate is lively and tensile with a crisp line of acidity, bright and vivacious with good density on the spiced finish. I adore the persistence here—a Charlemagne with great potential, perhaps one of the best ever produced from these parcels. Kingly!

The 2015 Charlemagne Grand Cru is attractively delicate and youthfully reserved, wafting from the glass with notes of green apple, lemon cream and white flowers, more exotic notions of persimmon and spice emerging with extended aeration. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, taut and racy, with a bright line of acid, good concentration, and a long, vibrant finish. I expect more texture and dimension will emerge with a few years of bottle age, as the balance and persistence are very good.

Now labeled just “Charlemagne” sans its prefix, which its two plots are perfectly entitled to, the 2013 Charlemagne Grand Cru was 80% damaged by the hail storm, which equates to four barrels. It has a well-defined, lightly honeyed bouquet with fine definition and intensity. The palate is vibrant with convincing mineralité, just a touch of reduction lending complexity with very good weight on the sour-lemon finish. Excellent.