Decanted 1 hour before pouring. Only a little more than medium cherry-red colour. The nose starts as a relatively forward blend of red cherries and darker oak-toast and herbal aromas. Time releases a more floral note, suggesting violets. Fresh flavours that also show a dark-oak edge and medium-grained tannin with a little astringency, the mid-palate has a little saline impression. The finish is quite narrow – linear – but very long, giving only a dark mineral/saline oaky impression. Interesting, though missing a certain ’spark’ to make me consider bolstering stocks…
Drouhin-Laroze
2005 Drouhin-Laroze Gevrey-Chambertin
Medium-plus cherry-red, still some purple reflections. High-toned black and blue fruit mingles with faint notes of violets – below lies a nice earthy base – lovely. Plenty of forward acidity, but here’s a 2005 that has not yet completely sunk into it’s acidic sleep. Very good fruit, relatively linear but it’s got intensity and length. The tannin is a low-level faint grain and I find no obvious oaky elements. This was a relative bargain and is recommended.
2005 Drouhin-Laroze Gevrey-Chambertin Au Closeau
Medium-plus cherry-red with plenty of purple at the rim. The nose doesn’t have too much depth, but the width is interesting with fresh, precise red cherry/berry notes and an edge of cream. Leave it a couple of hours and you end up with a more classic and forward earthy note edged with cream. Fresh and perfectly balanced with understated but relatively fine tannin. The tannin comes a little more to the fore with time. Not the concentration of many Gevrey 1ers from the vintage, indeed it just seems a little light until you get some 1er cru dimension in the mid-palate and length. Would be a real success in 2004, but in context it’s only almost good in 2005. At any rate it’s interesting, competent, clean and fresh with no overt oak character – it’s also very tasty. At the price I paid (almost 60 Sfr), it’s not exactly great value though.