Burgundy Red Wines

wines

The 2005 Richebourg makes a strong argument that the answer to that question might be a resounding ‘yes!’ Huge beams of tannin are present but nearly covered by the sheer intensity the fruit. Black cherry, plum, mint, lavender and graphite give the 2005 much of its gravitas. Tonight, the 2005 is insanely beautiful and absolutely stellar, and I say that never having truly fallen for the domaine’s Richebourg. The 2005, though, well, it simply will not be denied.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AG(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Richebourg Red) Initially this was quite firmly reduced though after 15 minutes or so of aeration, vigorous swirling coaxes ripe but fresh and superbly elegant and pure aromas that are wonderfully broad and include red, black, blue and violet aromas as well as seemingly a full cupboard of Asian spices. The robust and extremely rich, full-bodied and naturally sweet flavors that are quite floral in the mouth culminate in a detailed and hugely long finish where the tannic spine is firm but not hard or unduly rigid. In the same fashion as many of the top 2005s today, this is years away from being ready for prime time and it’s definitely a wine to leave buried in the back of your cellar but when this is finally ready it’s going to be brilliant. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 97 BHThe aromas are seductive, exuding raspberry, red currant, cherry and spice notes. More muscular and powerful on the palate, full of dense tannins, this is concentrated, ripe and long. Needs time for the two parts of the wine to harmonize.--Non-blind 2005 DRC tasting (February 2008). Best from 2016 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2005 Richebourg suggests lightly cooked cherry, lilies, and vanilla-chocolate pot de creme, coming onto the palate with a gentle wave of creamy fruit, almost shockingly open-knit and youthfully generous. Low-toned richness of salted beef broth and a hint of wet stone add hints of gravitas, but despite ample (refined) tannins, there is nothing to restrain a veritable gushing of ripe, juicy, sweet finishing fruit. This might close up for a time, but these early indications suggest one ought to revisit it in 3-5 years and expect it to offer much earlier enjoyment than the Grands-Echezeaux or Romanee-St.-Vivant.Once the grapes in these fabled vineyards had reached a potential alcohol of 13%, reports Aubert de Villaine, he was ready to pick, because conditions had seldom been so conducive to perfect ripeness (including that of the stems). It was all done in a week, commencing with La Tache and Romanee Conti, and finishing on September 23 with Romanee-St.-Vivant (and Montrachet, on which I shall report at a future date). De Villaine intended to bottle in March or April by gravity in six-barrel lots, as has become general practice here over the past decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-95 RP(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg) The 2005 Richebourg is a big, blockbuster of a wine, with a firm and closed personality that is just loaded with layers of fruit. Today this broad-shouldered wine is youthfully four-square and not particularly pleased at being disturbed, but offers excellent potential for down the road. The bouquet is a primary blend of black cherries, plums, cocoa, duck, a serious base of soil and plenty of vanillin oak showing presently. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and closed, with a rock solid core of fruit, fine focus, solid acids, and plenty of firm tannins on the long, young and palate-staining finish. This will be a reference point DRC Richebourg down the road, but it will demand some patience. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 94 JG

(Domaine Jean Grivot, Richebourg Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, Red) Full colour. Splendidly concentrated and complex on the nose, but still very closed in. Full body, finely tuned, fragrant, understated and very harmonious. Vigorous, intense and very classy indeed on the follow through. This is excellent. (Drink starting 2018)Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Richebourg displays a fascinating and alluring bouquet of black raspberry, nutmeg, ginger, sandalwood, and marrow. It offers an incredibly spicy, intensely black-fruited, old vines impression in the mouth, coating the palate with silken folds of fruit yet gliding elegantly into a finish of dark berries, spice, raw meat, wet stone, and mineral salts. Like spading fertile earth, one turns up new, dark secrets with each sip. For all of its textural richness and ripeness of fruit, this superb Pinot preserves a certain “cool” restraint, with no superficial sweetness. It would be a shame to cellar this for fewer than 10-12 years.Etienne Grivot aimed this year for gentle extraction (essentially without pigeage), then watchful preservation of the freshness, subtleties and refinement inherent in near-perfect raw material. He performed some very light chaptalization to extend the fermentations. Given the health and natural concentration of his vinous raw material, he felt no need to sulfur or rack the wines until shortly prior to bottling (without filtration), which was the stage at which I tasted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-97 RPDeep red-ruby. The nose offers a pure, pungent expression of Richebourg soil: black raspberry, blueberry pastille, musky minerality, smoke, cocoa powder. Like a black hole of dark fruits on the palate: thick but weightless, with incredible concentration and depth. This is quite closed, like the Beaux-Monts, with the slow-mounting finish displaying great length and thrust. A fabulously ripe but youthfully imploded wine that will need 12 to 15 years in the cellar to fully express itself.Vinous Media | 96+ VM(Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg Grand Cru Red) The step up in class is unmistakable with gorgeously complex red, black and violet aromas trimmed with a dazzling array of spices, earth and a hint of smoked game that add real luster to the round, intense, muscular but stylish flavors that possess real power and a building intensity that develops from the mid-palate to the explosive finish. I really like the purity of expression here on the linear and mineral-infused finish that has a dusty quality from all of the dry extract that coats the mouth on the hugely persistent backend. This is a big wine but it remains impeccably well balanced and should live for decades. Highly recommended. (Drink starting 2022)Burghound | 95 BH

(Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay "Champans" 1er Cru Red) Remarkably this has changed relatively little since my initial in-bottle review amost 10 years ago as the ripe raspberry liqueur-like nose evidences hints of spice, violets, earth and underbrush. The vibrant, pure, round and naturally sweet medium-bodied flavors possess excellent intensity on the precise, powerful and mineral-driven finish. There is a beautiful tension to this wine and while there is a serious tannic backbone, this seems supple on the mid-palate because the structure is so well-buffered. This is still very much on the way up and should easily see its 50th birthday (and many more) in superb condition. As such I would strongly advise letting this beauty continue to slumber. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 94 BH(Marquis d’Angerville Volnay “Champans”) By all indications, this will be a great vintage for the Champans chez d’Angerville. This can often be one of the more recalcitrant young wines in the cellar, but it is showing remarkable refinement out of the blocks. The bouquet offers up notes of cherries, red berries, coffee, lovely minerality and a touch of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and intensely flavored, with again simply striking purity, excellent focus and balance, and a long, moderately tannic and tangy finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2012-2035)John Gilman | 92-93 JGOne of the three batches that will be blended to make up d ‘Angerville’s 2005 Volnay Champans was still in malo, so I base my assessment on the other two. Scented with cherry and cassis, flowers and fungus, smoke and chalk dust, this displays richness and depth, fine tannins and emerging silkiness, and a youthfully firm but long finish loaded with savory subtleties. Just give it 6-8 years before revisiting. (The outstanding d’Angerville 2004s were also very late to finish malo, and the Champans is especially memorable for its vivid sauteed champignons, alluring ginger spice, marrowy richness, and flattering mouth feel, indeed comparable in quality though lacking the developmental potential of this 2005. As a striking example of mercantile bipolar disorder, I purchased this outstanding 2004 for $49.99 from a merchant whose price on the 2005 thus represented a 350% premium!)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPGood full red. Reticent nose suggests cherry, licorice, flowers and truffle. Displays the copious sweetness of the vintage but with terrific focus and underlying spine. A stony, minerally pinot with real delicacy and cut. The long, noble finish offers a lovely combination of silk and stone and enticing lingering perfume. An archetypical Volnay that combines structure and charm: I wouldn’t be surprised if this merited an even higher score eight or ten years from now.Vinous Media | 93 VMRigid now, with cherry, mineral and smoke notes backed by burly tannins. Yet, it’s elegant in stature, concentrated and built for the long haul. Closed up already, but be patient. Best from 2014 through 2028. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Deep ruby. A strongly reduced nose gives up little but the well-muscled flavors are big, robust and very powerful and possess the class young Clos de Vougeot youthful austerity. This is very primary and awkward yet the quality of the raw material is clear and this should reward 10 to 15 years of cellar time. (Drink starting 2017)Burghound | 91-94 BHSaturated ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate and pungent spices. Offers a penetrating, sappy kirsch flavor on the palate, in a rather dense, powerful style. This is powerful without coming across as heavy. Finishes very long and spicy, with terrific freshness.Vinous Media | 93 VM

(Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits St.-Georges Les St. Georges 1er Cru Red) This is primary to the point of being overtly grapey with an interesting mix of intense earth and game nuances that merge into solidly structured middle weight flavors that possess outstanding length and real depth. As good as the Petits Monts is, there is another dimension here. (Drink starting 2015)Burghound | 90-93 BHFrom substantial holdings planted with old vines, the Thibault Liger-Belair 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges Les St.-Georges displays both roasted, charred and raw red meatiness to a degree unusual for a Nuits-St.-Georges. Ripe black cherry and blackberry are also very much present, but this wine is not about sweetness of fruit. Substantial, firm but finely-tannic and formidably concentrated, it finishes with dark, faintly bitter berries, roasted meats, beef blood, a soy-like savor, and an intense yet hard to describe minerality. The wine tastes like something one should if anemic. Heady yet not hot in its nearly 15% alcohol, palpable extract rich and thick yet not leaden, it will need at least 5-7 years, I suspect, if it is to be tamed and refined at all. (The 2004, incidentally, was also powerful if very slightly lower in alcohol and displayed intriguing potential.)In this his fourth vintage, and (like his cousin at Comte Liger-Belair in Vosne-Romanee) young, ambitious in the pursuit of quality, well-traveled, and in the process of taking back family property from rental and negociant contracts, Thibault Liger-Belair is ensconced in deep, ancient, and bitterly-cold cellars in the center of Nuits-St.-Georges. He has begun pursuing a biodynamic regimen in his vineyards and has inaugurated a rigorously-controlled negociant arm (its wines labeled “Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs” and designated “S” in my listings). He says he approached 2005 with great caution lest the wines lose polish and finesse to over-extraction of tannins. Certainly the results have included some very powerful and formidably structured wines. Low sulfur and a significant inclusion of whole clusters (“depending on the circumstances and site,” he says, “- I have no system”) are among other prominent features of Liger-Belair’s approach in 2005.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP(14.8% alcohol; vinified with 30% whole clusters) Bright red-ruby. Superripe aroma of black raspberry liqueur. Fat, sweet and powerful; a big, chocolatey-rich wine that retains freshness yet comes across as a bit heavy. Will make a major mouthful but today I don’t find the near-grand cru class of the best examples from this vineyard.Vinous Media | 89-92 VM

(Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru Red) This is backward, primary and almost shut down with its ultra cool and serious nose of mostly dark berry fruit aromas that also offer up notes of spice, pepper earth, animale, smoke and underbrush, all of which resurface on the structured, minerally and firm to the point of being strict on the palate staining and hugely long finish. Wow, this makes an impression as it’s a big and very bad boy that will require plenty of time to harmonize and round out as the tannins are prominent. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 91-94 BH(Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin) The Rossignol-Trapet 2006 Chambertin was also still retaining a bit of its gas post-malo, and so was not as on form to taste as the Latricières. Nevertheless, this is clearly going to be a fine example of the vintage, as the wine offers up a complex bouquet of dark plums, black cherries, lovely minerality, coffee, woodsmoke, a bit of grilled meat, and new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and quite powerfully built, with excellent purity, a rock solid core, firm tannins and a very long, primary and soil-driven finish. This was probably the toughest wines to taste in the cellars in November, but it clearly possesses the raw materials to be quite special. (Drink between 2018-2060)John Gilman | 93-94 JGGood full red. Complex nose melds wild raspberry, tobacco and earth. Suave and fine-grained but youthfully subdued, with ripe balancing acidity giving the broad red fruit and soil flavors a sappy quality and very good snap. Best today on the rising finish, where the tannins are firm but fine and arrive late. A powerful wine but not hard.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

(Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru Red) A gorgeously layered and deep nose of spicy, and once again notably cool black pinot fruit seems to offer up a different nuance with each examination and serves as a classy intro to the supple, rich, round and strikingly pure mouth coating flavors brimming with dry extract on the hugely long finish that exhibits serious power. This is a big yet refined wine that remains the current reference standard for Malconsorts though, happily, there will be more serious competition going forward with Domaines Dujac and de Montille coming to the party. Impressive but note that patience will be required. (Drink starting 2016)Burghound | 93 BHThe 2006 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts from Sylvain Cathiard really blossomed in the glass, unfurling to reveal notes of plums, dark chocolate, rich soil, burning embers and some savory and hard-to-define bass notes, its new oak nicely digested at age 12. On the palate, the wine starts out a little foursquare but opens up to become quite expansive, more taut and controlled than the 2005 En Orveaux tasted the following day, with fine-grained but not yet melted tannins, a deep core of fruit and a long finish. An excellent Malconsorts with a full decade ahead of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPGood full red. Darker fruits on the nose, complicated by minerals, violet and sweet oak. Rich and silky but at the same time minerally and firm; boasts impressive volume and texture but comes across as almost weightless. Finishes tight and youthfully closed, with superb mineral energy and toothcoating tannins. Lovely already but this should really be held for five or six years.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

Amazing balance and purity of flavors, extending from the complex crushed cranberry, rose petal and raspberry scents to the touches of mineral, tea, and forest floor. Great texture, muscle and length.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) As noted in the original review just after bottling, the once reserved nose is now starting to come out of its shell as there is plenty of the hallmark spice and floral components that are broad and deep and while the aromas are still on the restrained side, they are still most impressive. The big and generous flavors are an exercise in contrasts as they are at once round and rich while remaining wonderfully defined and precise with an intense minerality coming to the fore, all wrapped in a linear, precise and palate staining finish that not is explosive. Even at such a young age, the palate impression is entirely harmonious and the transparency and purity of expression are something to see. As I noted in the original review, while I do not argue that the ’06 La Tâche rivals vintages like ’99 or ’05, there is something special about this one that causes me to already be in love with it. In a word, magnificent and my original description needs no modification except perhaps to observe that this is a Zen-like vintage for La Tâche as it is very calm and deliberate in demeanor. (Drink starting 2026).Burghound | 96 BHGood colour. The nose is a bit hidden. But it is evident that this is a big step up on the Richebourg. More concentration. More volume. More depth. Above all more class and definition. Very lovely balanced fruit and an excellent long finish. Very fine plus.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2006 La Tâche is the most layered and pliant of these four 2006s. I especially admire the wine’s inner sweetness and perfume, both qualities that carry through to the creamy, expressive finish. This is a terrific showing from the 2006.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDomaine de La Romanee-Conti’s 2006 La Tache possesses a sense of sheer density and a viscosity – by no means precluding energy – that go beyond the other wines in the Domaine’s current collection. Scents of bitter-sweet floral perfume, citrus oils, white pepper, peat, and black fruit distillates pungently, almost aggressively fill the nose. The marrow and beef gelatin aspect of this Pinot is salient, but is allied on a palpably tannic palate with similarly impressive concentrated cooked black fruits, dark mushroom stock, forest floor, smoky Lapsang tea, and licorice. For grip and power, too, this surpasses its stable mates. But a glance back at the Romanee-St.-Vivant suggests that you can’t have it all, and that this La Tache cannot approach that wine’s finesse or quite equal its mystery. Still, I suspect this will be worth following for at least two decades.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

(Chambertin- Domaine Dujac) The 2007 Chambertin is also a beautiful bottle in the making, as it offers up a beautiful aromatic mélange of cherries, red plums, coffee, cocoa, a great base of soil, spice tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and magically complex, with great length and grip, flawless focus, a sappy core and superb length on the modestly-tannic and very tangy finish. Quintessential Chambertin. I would love to drink this wine side by side with Éric Rousseau’s example a dozen years from now. (Drink between 2017-2050)John Gilman | 96 JG(Domaine Dujac Chambertin Grand Cru Red) A much more restrained and certainly cooler nose of all red berry fruit aromas that possess obvious mineral and underbrush highlights dissolves into precise, intense and driving medium full flavors that possess simply terrific length and vibrancy. This is not a super concentrated effort but it is extremely well balanced, persistent and classy. A qualitative choice. (Drink starting 2019)Burghound | 91-94 BHBright medium red. Aromas of black cherry, red berries, iron and flowers hint at a liqueur-like ripeness. Dense, sweet and deep, but in a rather polite style for Chambertin, with its fruits and flowers to the fore. But this classy, beautifully balanced wine shows a weightless quality that is compelling.Vinous Media | 93 VM

(Domaine Anne-Françoise Gros Richebourg Grand Cru Red) Very generous wood fights somewhat at present with the cool, spicy and highly complex nose of red currant, plum and violet aromas that is very much in keeping with the equally spicy rich, full-bodied and tautly muscled flavors that display ample minerality on the balanced, long and linear finish. This is a very serious effort with fine but dense tannins that will require 15 to 20 years for them to fully resolve so this isn’t a precocious Riche. (Drink starting 2023)Burghound | 91-94 BHSurpassing the 2007, Anne Gros’s 2008 Richebourg Grand Cru is showing very well, unfurling in the glass with scents of cassis, cherries, dried flowers, grilled meats and spices. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with melting tannins, racy acids that are elegantly cloaked in succulent fruit and a long, penetrating finish. It makes for dramatic, head-turning drinking today, so there seems little reason to wait.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP(Richebourg- Domaine A-F. Gros) The 2008 Richebourg from A-F. Gros is fairly oaky, but with its wood much better integrated into the main body of the wine on both the nose and palate and posing no threat to the ultimate balance of the wine. The classy nose jumps from the glass in a blend of plums, black cherries, cocoa powder, orange zest, woodsmoke and spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely transparent, with a fine core of fruit, ripe tannins and fine length and grip on the youthful finish. There is plenty of wood in this wine, but it is seamlessly integrated already and does not detract at all from the overall pleasure that the wine delivers. A very good example. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 92+ JG

When the wine is first poured, it seems like the 2008 Clos de la Maréchale might be starting to ease into its plateau of peak maturity, as the bouquet is beautifully complex with secondary shadings of complexity and wide open for inspection. However, on the palate, the wine is still youthful and asks for more patience, as it needs at least a handful more years’ worth of bottle age to soften up its still fairly prominent backend tannins. The beautiful bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of black cherries, sweet dark berries, black truffle, nutskin, woodsmoke, coffee bean, a nice touch of cedar and a gorgeous base of black soil tones. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and has lovely depth at the core, with fine soil signature and grip, ripe, fine-grained tannins and a long, impeccably balanced and vibrant finish. This wine is going to be superb, but it still needs a bit more bottle age. (Drink between 2028 - 2065)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2008 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Marechale offers up black cherries, sweet spices, flowers and licorice, all of which meld together beautifully in a weightless, impeccably elegant style. Floral, minty notes add complexity and nuance on the refined finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2008 Nuits St. Georges Clos de la Maréchale offers up black cherries, sweet spices, flowers and licorice, all of which meld together beautifully in a weightless, impeccably elegant style. Floral, minty notes add complexity and nuance on the refined finish.Vinous Media | 92 VMThere is a discreet herbal tea element to the super-fresh and beautifully elegant nose that strikes me as being right at an inflection point where the aromas are now turning toward the secondary. There is a really lovely underlying tension to the dense and mineral-driven medium weight flavors that possess a sophisticated texture, all wrapped in an admirably long and balanced if ever-so-slightly lean finish that belies a trace of austerity. For my taste, this super-clean tasting effort has largely arrived at the front edge of its peak drinkability though it should easily hold there for another decade.Burghound | 91 BHClear bright colour, with good energy. This is sublime on the palate, beautifully balanced, very graceful indeed, with a lovely finish. Unexpected fruit richness too. If anything showing even better today next to its peers than in a vertical at the domaine last week.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

As one would reasonably expect, this is more elegant, cooler and higher-toned still with airy red pinot and cherry fruit aromas preceding vibrant and mouth coating flavors that are built on a firm base of almost aggressive minerality and culminate in a stony, precise and linear finish that delivers real verve and fine length. Terrific.Burghound | 90-92 BHAn enticing white, offering sweet cherry, strawberry, floral and mineral notes. Intense yet smooth, with balance, if showing a bit of heat today. There’s fine length, so give this time. Best from 2013 through 2024. 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSGood medium red. Redcurrant, raspberry and tobacco on the nose. Juicy, firm and penetrating, with good purity to the mineral and spice flavors. A rather strict, rocky style but with very good precision of fruit. Finishes with excellent grip and length. The product of a severe selection, noted d’Angerville.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe d’Angerville 2008 Volnay Fremiet amplifies some of the themes of their Clos des Angles (grown just east of it): tart red fruits tinged with peat and pepper and underlain by salted meat stock. Hints of leather and prominent, dusty crushed stone suffusion are part of the lean, bright, intense picture here, too, and a relative austerity vis-a-vis Clos des Angles seems to reflect the rocky, thin surface soil environment in this part of Fremiet. This certainly grips implacably and invigoratingly. Will its extra measure of tannin and palpable extract help it live longer? Or – more to the point – will this be interesting or user-friendly a dozen years from now? Probably, but I’d still be inclined to put my money on Clos des Angles with its additional youthful enticement.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

(Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay "Taillepieds" 1er 1er Cru Red) This is a classic Taillepieds with is very cool and restrained nose of chalk, stone and airy red berry fruit aromas that are very much in keeping with the wispy, lacy and dancing medium-bodied flavors that possess a superb sense of underlying tension on the gorgeously precise, explosive and mineral suffused finish, which is, in the fashion of a fine Taillepieds, notably austere. This will require time. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 91-93 BHA meld of fresh blackberry with red currant and red raspberry is tinged with cinnamon and shadowed by black tea smokiness in the nose of d’Angerville’s 2008 Volnay Taillepieds. Here we have grip and almost electric brightness and energy allied to vivid fresh red berries as well as a complex undertone of forest floor, mushroom stock, and beef broth. Tartness of berry skin; smoky, pungent black tea and Szechuan pepper; and chalky, saline and peaty notes, make for a dramatic finishing flourish. This finely-structured Volnay should be worth following for 12-15 years at least.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Tasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot’s retirement from the domaine, the 2008 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has an open and generous bouquet with wild brambly fruit, crushed strawberry, mineral and woodland scents. This is gentler than the 2009 or 2010, more open for business perhaps. The palate is (again) wonderfully balanced with rounded tannin. There is a savory edge here, a slight meatiness developing and a suggestion of Italian cured meats towards the finish, plus a saline edge. It feels satisfyingly long in the mouth with spice notes tingling right on the end of the aftertaste. Do not underestimate this excellent Clos de Tart, surely destined to be overshadowed by the 2009.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPMild but not invisible wood frames very ripe yet cool and airy dark fruit aromas that speak of earth, violets, underbrush and a hint of menthol that leads to reserved, intense and tautly muscular broad-shouldered flavors that are textured, naturally sweet, sappy and concentrated while being supported by a notably firm but not aggressive tannic spine and excellent length on the balanced and palate staining finish. This should require between 15 to 20 years to arrive at its apogee as it’s noticeably more structured but unlike some less successful ’08s, the phenolics here are quite ripe as the low yields and late picking date are clearly in evidence. This resembles the great 2001 more than a little yet there is even more overall depth of material. In short, this should be truly great in time.Burghound | 96 BHThe 2008 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has long been one of my favorites from Sylvain Pitiot’s reign. It was picked October 3–6 at 29.2hlha with 13.58° alcohol, then matured for 17 months in new oak. For the first time, most of the cuvées included 30% to 50% whole bunches, one cuvée 100%. It has long been more open and welcoming on the nose compared to other vintages, featuring brambly red fruit, forest floor and light black truffle scents that become smokier with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and abraded tannins, turning savory with aeration and revealing hints of meat juices toward the saline finish. While it might lack finesse, it does sport considerable length and should offer another 15–20 years of drinking pleasure. Tasted at a private Clos de Tart dinner in London.Vinous Media | 94 VMFrom its dark colour and primary cherry aromas, you might guess this was younger wine than seven-and-a-half years old. The wine’s personality seems a little taut and reserved at first, but with air it blossoms and opens. Magnificent density and concentration after a while, predicated on thrilling acidity but with neat tannin stitching to the fruit, too. A great success for the vintage.Decanter | 94 DECThere’s an herbaceous side to this red, along with cherry and sandalwood flavors. Balanced on the dry, tannic side overall, with an astringent finish. Needs time to show its pedigree. Best from 2015 through 2027. 1,700 cases made, 17 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS(Clos de Tart) The 2008 Clos de Tart also seemed rather marked by its new wood at this point in its evolution, but perhaps with late malos here, the wood has simply not had enough time to integrate into the body of wine. The bouquet is deep and as always the case here, quite classy and complex in its blend of cherries, orange zest, coffee, complex soil tones, fresh herbs and spicy new oak. The wood spice seems more aggressive than I normally find here, as there is a distinct note of lead pencil that seems quite out of place. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and beautifully transparent on the attack, with fine mid-palate depth, good focus and a bit of dryness on the backend from currently uncovered wood tannins. Is this just a stage or has something been changed in the wood regimen here that calls into question the ultimate balance of this wine? (Drink between 2014 - 2040)John Gilman | 85-90+ JG

Produced from Méo’s 0.44ha parcel in Les Rouges du Bas. The vines are near the top of the slope not far from the outlet of the combe, thus a cool terroir. In 2009 it was enormously successful, ripening to perfection yet maintaining its freshness. The nose shows sweet black cherry and plum fruit with hints of exotic spices and a firmly saline minerality. The texture is less imposing than some years, with an almost sweet character on the palate but plenty of depth and length. Marvelously drinkable now. (Drink between 2021-2041)Decanter | 95 DECThe 2009 Echézeaux flows across the palate with layers of gracious, elegant fruit. It is a supremely silky wine with plenty of intensity but no heaviness whatsoever. This is classy and refined all the way. Méo’s parcel is in Le Rouge du Bas.Antonio Galloni | 92-95 AGThe 2009 Echezeaux flows across the palate with layers of gracious, elegant fruit. It is a supremely silky wine with plenty of intensity but no heaviness whatsoever. This is classy and refined all the way. Meo’s parcel is in Le Rouge du Bas. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034.Jean-Nicolas Meo began harvesting on September 12. He did 17-18 days of cuvaison and did one racking before the wines were prepared for bottling. I was not able to taste a handful of wines that were racked just before my visit, including the Cros Parantoux. Meo is among the growers who believe the 2009s will age well on their depth of fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-95 RPA highly-spiced nose of purple and cassis is sprinkled with warm earth and anise notes that leads to rich, intense and quite generous broad-shouldered flavors that brim with seemingly buckets of tannin-buffering dry extract that culminate in a palate staining and strikingly persistent finish. I very much like the balance and while this is certainly firm, it’s not hard or aggressive. (Drink starting 2021)Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2009 Echézeaux is also a very pure and ripe example of the vintage. The bouquet is a deep and classy blend of black raspberries, black cherries, woodsmoke, duck, lovely minerality, dark chocolate and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure, minerally and nicely reserved, with fine focus and mid-palate depth, suave tannins and a long, tangy and chewy finish. This is really a very, very good vintage for the Echézeaux at this estate, and I would do everything in my power to give this seven or eight years in the cellar to allow its additional layers of complexity to emerge with further bottle age. Fine juice. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 93 JG

Fine colour. Really quite closed on the nose: even more so than the Richebourg. Lovely perfumed cassis nose. A big, backward, quite tannic wine with excellent grip. More austere than the Richbourg. But it has even more depth and intensity. Very lovely.Decanter | 100 DEC(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) A discreet but incredibly complex nose features notes of spicy, pure and relatively high-toned fruit that is laced with plenty of rose petal and violet hints. There is excellent energy and freshness to the lacy and stunningly precise broad-scaled flavors that build in intensity from the densely concentrated mid-palate to the explosive and mouth coating finish that seemingly goes on without end. This is a big LT with ample muscle and very firm but not aggressive structure along with superb depth of underlying material and positively mind-blowing length. But the real genius of this wine is the Zen-like harmony and poise though note that it is very tightly wound and will need many years of cellaring before it will be completely ready. In a word, magnificent. (Drink starting 2034).Burghound | 98 BHThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is still a decade away from the plenitude of maturity, but it’s already a head-turning wine, soaring from the glass with an extravagant bouquet of rose petal, Asian spices, grilled meats, rock salt, espresso roast, rich soil tones, plums and dark chocolate. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and richly structured around fine-grained chalky tannins, with a deep and multidimensional core and succulent underlying acids, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. This is an utterly classic La Tâche that ranks among the vintage’s high points.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most ethereal of the three wines in this flight. Whole cluster influence is especially marked here. A whole range of spice, dried flower, mint and savory overtones infuse the 2009 with layers of nuance. Next to the other wines in this flight, La Tâche is ethereal and harder to fully capture with words, an attribute many, if not most, of the world’s greatest wines share.Vinous Media | 98 VMNoticeably oaky and darker than its siblings, evoking black cherry, licorice and spice. On the palate, there’s depth and concentration, with a menthol note that persists through the long finish. The mouthcoating tannins will require some time to integrate.--Non-blind 2009 DRC tasting (February 2012). Best from 2016 through 2042.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The 2009 Latricieres-Chambertin is fresh, vibrant and impeccably harmonious. Dark cherries, crushed flowers, minerals and mint emerge from a beautifully articulated, mid-weight frame. All of the elements are very nicely balanced in this first-class, elegant Latricieres. The finish is long, refined and weightless. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2049.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPLess saturated medium red than the Chapelle. Cool, vibrant aromas of blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry and menthol, with some red cherry emerging with air. Wonderfully silky on entry, then firm and insinuating in the mid-palate, with a seamless texture and perfumed high notes. The very long, aromatic finish really leaves the palate vibrating. A great Latricieres. Trapet suggests drinking this "now or in 60 years."Vinous Media | 95 VMA more deeply pitched yet still ultra-elegant nose that speaks of the almost pungent minerality that characterizes this outstanding wine from tip to tail. There is a purity and transparency that is beautiful to see as this is a textbook example of a fine Latricières, all wrapped in a dusty, linear and harmonious finish. This is unusually precise for the vintage and possesses excellent potential but note that this restrained example will likely not reveal all of its potential for at least a decade and more probably two.Burghound | 95 BHThe 2009 Latricières from Jean-Louis Trapet is an excellent example of the vintage, with the wine seeming likely to blossom a bit ahead of the 2009 Chapelle in the Trapet cellars. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a ripe and very pure blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, woodsmoke, grilled meats, dark soil tones and the first hint of Latricières signature of cigar. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and blossoming nicely already, with a deep and sappy core, excellent soil signature, suave, buried tannins and a long, plush and complex finish. The generosity of the 2009 vintage dovetails beautifully with the more restrained personality of Latricières and the combination of the two has produced a stellar bottle in the making chez Trapet. (Drink between 2021 - 2075)John Gilman | 94+ JG

(Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay "Caillerets" 1er 1er Cru Red) This is also quite ripe with liqueur-like aromas of raspberry, cassis and plum that cannot hide the almost aggressive wet stone nuances that carry over to the detailed, mouth coating and intense flavors that possess impeccable balance and outstanding length on the gorgeously complex and seriously long finish. This is terrific and absolutely worth your consideration. (Drink starting 2017)Burghound | 93 BHThe estate’s 2009 Volnay Les Caillerets is one of the more focused, vibrant wines in this lineup. Dark red fruit, mint and spices are some of the nuances that emerge in the glass. The Caillerets impresses for its drive and sheer energy, both qualities that should allow it to age gracefully for a number of years. D’Angerville’s 0.5 hectare plot is at the top of the vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2009 Volnay Caillerets is one of the subtler polished wines in this lineup. A model of weightless elegance, it presents hints of rose petals, sweet red cherries, licorice and minerals, all wrapped up in a sensual package that is impossible to resist. The wine’s understated finesse and inner sense of energy are both remarkable.Vinous Media | 93 VM

(Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay "Frémiets" 1er 1er Cru Red) Here the nose is appreciably fresher and also displays notes of red currant though the minerality now extends to the aromas and in hallmark Frémiets style, also suffuses the rich, supple and refined middle weight flavors blessed with ample amounts of dry extract that buffer the moderately firm tannins on the impressively long finish. The minerality is so strong that there is a Chablis-like saline character. A classy effort of finesse. (Drink starting 2016)Burghound | 91-93 BHThe 2009 Volnay Fremiet is beautifully pointed. Sweet dark cherries, plums, violets, graphite and licorice are woven together in an articulate, chiseled Volnay that impresses for its energy, delineation and sheer underlying structure. All the elements are in the right place. This is a terrific showing from d’Angerville and one of the few 2009s that actually needs time to come together.Vinous Media | 92 VM

(Ruchottes-Chambertin- Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg) Both the Ruchottes and the Clos Vougeot are two of my wines of the vintage in 2009. The spectacular Ruchottes soars from the glass in a brilliantly complex mélange of red and black cherries, blood orange, raw cocoa, a touch of grilled meat, woodsmoke, magically complex soil tones, violets and spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and rock solid at the core, with laser-like focus, stunning purity, ripe tannins and profound length and grip on the seamless and utterly refined finish. I am probably underrating this wine this year! (Drink between 2020-2070)John Gilman | 96+ JGThe 2009 Ruchottes-Chambertin was 100% de-stemmed. It has a gorgeous bouquet with vivid scents of plush red cherry fruit, cassis, violets and a hint of vanilla remaining from some new oak to be subsumed. The palate is medium-bodied with an elegant, precise opening. It is embroidered with a perfect thread of acidity and gains momentum towards the finish that feels plush and sensual (not a million miles away from the 1999 stylistically). It needs three or four more years in bottle but there is great potential here. Tasted at the Ruchottes-Chambertin vertical in London.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Domaines Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru Red) Not surprisingly, this is quite similar to the young vines cuvée though here the fruit is both fresher and a bit riper before merging into supple and intensely mineral-driven extract-rich flavors that possess excellent length on the palate staining finish. This serious and brooding effort is the epitome of power without weight and a wine that should improve for up to 15 years.Burghound | 94 BHThe 2009 Ruchottes-Chambertin is gorgeous today. It boasts considerable aromatic complexity and plenty of nuance in a sensual style that captures the essence of the vintage. The 2009 shows a little more depth and richness than the 2010 but still has plenty of site specific character. Finessed, silky tannins frame the exceptional finish. Today the Ruchottes give the immediate pleasure that is the hallmark of this vintage. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

(Nuits St. Georges “Chaignots”- Domaine Robert Chevillon et Fils) Not surprisingly, the 2009 Chevillon Chaignots is very sappy and generous on the nose, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cocoa, blood orange, vinesmoke, herb tones, a lovely base of soil and a fine framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is decidedly more tight and serious than the nose suggests, with its full-bodied format tightly-knit with ripe tannins, good acids and really fine length and grip on the finish. This is rock solid at the core, and though it has a fair bit of tannin to resolve, the tannins are suave and beautifully-integrated into the body of the wine. A very, very fine vintage of Chaignots this year. (Drink between 2017-2040)John Gilman | 92 JG(Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges "Les Chaignots" 1er 1er Cru Red) This is a relatively fresh ’09 with an expressive nose that offers up notes of plum, cassis and very ripe black berry liqueur notes. The attractively textured and very rich flavors are supple, round and supported by relatively fine tannins and plenty of mouth coating dry extract. I like the balance and overall sense of harmony of this seductively textured example though it’s worth noting that some might find this to be just a little too ripe as there are hints of mocha on the finish. (Drink starting 2021)Burghound | 91 BH

The 2010 Romanée-St.-Vivant from Hudelot-Noëllat is properly more reserved than the Malconsorts, but in terms of complexity and purity, these two wines are cut very much from the same cloth in this vintage. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a beautiful blend of sappy red and black cherries, raspberries, a touch of blood orange, a great base of soil tones, a bit of duck and a judicious framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core, ripe tannins and a very, very long, reserved and transparent finish. This is pure magic. (Drink between 2022 - 2075)John Gilman | 96+ JGGood full red. Ineffable aromas and flavors of red berries, cocoa powder, smoked meat, faded rose and wild herbs, plus a whiff of game. Still a bit youthfully tough on the palate, but already communicates great grip and energy; comes across as deeper and more masculine than the 2011 version. Finishes surprisingly lush, with perfectly integrated tannins and outstanding subtle length.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThe 2010 Romanee St. Vivant comes across as rather shy. It shows lovely definition in its striking, well-delineated bouquet. There is an element of pure sensuality to the fruit that is very attractive. The RSV needs time to come out of its shell but is quite promising, even at this early stage. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2010 Romanée Saint-Vivant Grand Cru showed more evolved than I’d expect from a 2010, yet it was nevertheless beautiful, with a complex, layered, nuanced bouquet, medium-bodied richness, integrated tannins, and just a perfumed, forward, evolved style that was drinking incredibly well. Blind, I’d easily have guessed it was 10-15 years older. It’s a beautiful wine, although I’m not sure if this bottle is representative, so I’d recommend trying a bottle if you have a few cellared. Based off this showing, it should have no issues evolving for another decade, but I wouldn’t go much further.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis was also relatively reduced and impossible to evaluate. The utterly seductive medium weight flavors possess a silky mouth feel and superb balance which in much the same fashion as the Beaux Monts is enhanced by the very fine grained tannins before culminating in an explosive, focused and strikingly long finish. This highly-sophisticated effort seems quite supple as the firm tannins are hidden by the abundant sap but make no mistake, this will require plenty of cellar time before it’s completely ready. Despite all of the considerable potential this is displaying this level of reduction is cause for concern and while it may pass, that is an assumption.Burghound | 94 BH