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The 1999 Griotte is a bit more obviously ripe and generous than the cooler fruit-toned 2001, but it too will make an outstanding bottle of wine at full maturity. It will be interesting to keep tabs on the progress of the 1999 vis à vis the 2001 Griotte over the coming decades, as it is not clear which of these will ultimately be the superior bottling (though I give both vintages the nod over the potential of the 2002 at this early date). The bouquet on the 1999 Griotte is quite beautiful, as it offers up notes of black cherries, a touch of plum, chocolate, grilled meat, a lovely base of soil, woodsmoke and a delicate hint of cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and round on the attack, with a lovely black fruity core, ripe, buried tannins, sound acids and fine length and grip on the very long, meaty finish that closes with a note of bitter chocolate. A most impressive vintage of Griotte from the Drouhins, and one that should still be given another five or six years to fully blossom. Excellent juice. (Drink between 2014 - 2045)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe candied bing cherry-scented 1999 Griotte-Chambertin has a zesty, lively nose as well as a medium to dark ruby-colored character. It is packed with layers of raspberries, blueberries, and jammy cherries whose seamless flavors last from the attack through its supple finish. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2010.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWhile there are subtle secondary notes present, this remains largely primary and still quite fresh with mostly red berry fruit that is cut with nuances of earth, roasted cherry and stone hints. There is moderate austerity to the relatively precise and energetic medium-bodied flavors that are presently somewhat lean and while not hard, it’s clear that this is not yet ready for prime time drinking. Save for one recent bottle that was hard to the point of being unpleasant, I have had consistent notes.Burghound | 92 BHPalish red with a brick rim. Mellow, soil-driven scents of coffee, faded rose, mocha, cedar and truffle, with red berry notes in the background; comes across as complex and mature. Quite suave but a bit peppery and lean on first pour, showing moderate flesh but surprising energy thanks to its firm acidity and minerality. Initially seemed a bit lacking in intensity (perhaps from the vintage’s generally high yields) but gained in suppleness and volume with aeration. Finishes with a firm spine of dusty tannins that avoid dryness. I find this quite sexy now with some aeration and would certainly want to drink it within the next several years. Incidentally, Jérôme Faure-Brac did not start vinifying at Drouhin until 2005.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Full ruby. Brooding, deep aromas of blackberry, black cherry, minerals, violet and earth. Pure, precise and superconcentrated, with uncanny density and strength of blackberry and floral flavor. This saturates the entire palate, finishing with very firm tannins, a lightly mentholated quality and great persistence. Will need extended aging to express its inherent complexity. The year for Chambertin," notes Martin Prieur, who added that the Prieur parcel is located in a "much less regular spot" (in terms of ripening) than some others. Potentially great for this cuveeVinous Media | 94+ VMI am sure that the Chambertin and Musigny chez Prieur are raised in one hundred percent new oak, and both wines were showing a fair bit of wood spice on the nose and a fair bit of wood tannin on the backend at the time of my March visit. The nose on the ’05 Chamby is a fine, meaty mélange of black cherries, cassis, woodsmoke, grilled meats, earth and spicy oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and focused, with a fine core of fruit, tangy acids, and plenty of chewy tannin currently in ascendancy on the long finish. I am sure that this will have no trouble eventually absorbing all of its new oak, but the question really needs to be asked as to whether or not the wine is better off for all of its new wood. As I tasted this I could not help imagining these fine raw materials with the terroir front and center in the same way that Freddy Mugnier’s Musigny is utterly defined by its refined soil these days. This is a very good Chambertin that to my palate could be unmistakably great with the new wood dialed down. (Drink between 2017 - 2060)John Gilman | 90-94 JGThe Prieur 2005 Chambertin had been racked and returned to barrel when I tasted. Generous blackberry liqueur, cedar and roasted meat aromas usher in an almost implosively concentrated, severely black-fruited palate, underlain by charred meat and a veritable sauna bath of wet stones. This really grips in the back, but formidable tannins keep it from being much fun to taste, for all of its obvious ripeness. If you imagine Chambertin of Napoleonic compactness and ambition – even though some of the best 2005s demonstrate how full of flowers and finesse youthful wine from this appellation can be – then here is your emperor of a wine. I wouldn’t want to bet against it over the long haul, although that might be long indeed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-93 RPStill very deeply colored. The still somewhat primary though nicely nuanced black fruit, spice and earth scented nose introduces big-bodied, rich and very concentrated flavors that brim with dry extract that also serves to buffer the moderately firm and lingering if somewhat monolithic finale. To my taste this has peaked even if only just and is a wine that should last for several more decades. With that said, it’s not clear that it’s necessarily going to improve from here. I found this to be perfectly good if a bit inelegant.Burghound | 92 BH

(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

Full, deep red. Sexy scents of black raspberry, licorice, violet and minerals, plus torrefaction notes of espresso and mocha. More tightly wound on the palate than the young 2012; less horizontal and broad at this stage but wonderfully thick, fine-grained, savory and precise, with its multidimensional flavors of dark fruits, spices, minerals and flowers given an added element of complexity by savory soil tones. Manages to be both velvety and light on its feet, and ultimately suppler than the ’12. This exceptional young grand cru finishes with utterly mellow, perfect integrated tannins, explosive rising length and penetrating salty minerality. In short, a great expression of soil and a classic example of its vintage. (13.7% alcohol; 3.34 pH; 20 h/h)Vinous Media | 96 VMThere is just enough wood to be visible but it should be absorbed in short order. Interestingly, the aromatic profile is relatively similar to that of the Griotte, though this has significantly more depth and concentration to the full-bodied, powerful and explosive flavors that benefit greatly from the exceptional depth of material before culminating in a massively long and impeccably well-balanced finish. Sometimes the Roty Charmes displays its wood for years but the 2010 version appears as though it will eat it sooner than usual. In short, this is a stunner of a wine that clearly outclasses its two grands crus stable mates so if you can find it buy it.Burghound | 95 BH

The 2011 Charmes-Chambertin is pure pleasure. Black cherries, plums, cloves, violets and new leather are all woven together in a fabric of notable class. Here it is the wine’s extraordinary textural finesse and overall harmony that take over all of the senses. There is so much to like here, including the wine’s generous, inviting personality. The Charmes has really come on strong over the last year.Vinous Media | 95 VMAn ultra-fresh, cool and equally pure nose features a plethora of red berry scents along with notes of earth, spice, underbrush and a floral element that adds aromatic lift. Not surprisingly, the ripe broad-shouldered flavors are bigger, richer and more powerful with plenty of punch before culminating in a focused, balanced and solidly persistent finish. This will need at least a decade to arrive at its majority but it should be excellent when it does so.Burghound | 93 BHMoving on to the trio of Claude Dugat’s Grand Crus, the 2011 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a quintessential “Charmes” bouquet with vivacious scents of dark cherry, blueberry and quince, suffused with an almost sorbet-like freshness. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly sinewy entry. It coalesces in the second half and displays very fine, supple tannins with plenty of juicy Pinot fruit just cloaked under the 100% new oak at the moment, although everything is balanced and in sync. I would afford this three or four years in bottle for it to fully integrate. Drink 2016-2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2012 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from Claudes’ 0.25-hectare parcel of vines. It has a strong marine influence on the nose that is well defined and expressive, carrying and absorbing the new oak with ease. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-like texture, very well judged acidity and the new oak beautifully interwoven into the intense sorbet-fresh fruit on the harmonious finish. This is one of the finest wines from this vineyard.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA spicy and beautifully layered nose of fresh and markedly ripe red berry fruit liqueur, earth and spice nuances is trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The rich, round and broad-shouldered flavors possess good depth and a highly seductive mouth feel before terminating in an utterly delicious and strikingly complex finish that delivers outstanding length. I like the balance and this beauty should effortlessly improve during the next 15 years or so.Burghound | 94 BHBright, deep red. The nose shows a liqueur-like quality to the aromas of cherry, raspberry and mocha. Big, broad and sweet, delivering excellent dimension and depth and considerable power. The rich red fruit, coffee and cocoa powder flavors carry well on the sweet, very long finish, which is nicely shaped by the wine’s tanic spine. This is less taut than it appeared to be from barrel a year ago, but it needs time to burn off some of its baby fat.Vinous Media | 93+ VM