More evolved aromas that even hint at maturity with a few forest leaves, though for now they are clearly subordinate to the fruit. This is very full, full of tannin too but quite finely grained. There remains a little dryness, but like sand it’s not astringent.
A ripe but still quite mineral nose. Full on the palate – clearly there’s no raging torrent of acidity but this is nicely mouth-watering – and not just as an afterthought. There is density and real authority to the mid-palate flavours, would make a great match to many dishhes at table. This has no sharp edges at all – this balance indicates no rush to drink.
A ripe but still quite mineral nose. Full on the palate – clearly there’s no raging torrent of acidity but this is nicely mouth-watering – and not just as an afterthought. There is density and real authority to the mid-palate flavours, would make a great match to many dishhes at table. This has no sharp edges at all – this balance indicates no rush to drink.
Medium-plus colour. The nose on this is also a little tight at the core, hints of menthol above red berries – here the fruit has a candied coating. Silky and intense. the acidity is understated but completely adequate. There’s a dark flavour in the mid-palate that is partly mineral, partly resembling licorice, partly saline – it is very long lasting. In all dimensions this is more muscular than the 2006, but I have the impression that what the 06 lacks in muscle it makes up for in intensity.
And what an impressive bottle – and I mean the bottle – a super-deep punt and heavy glass. On pouring, nothing untoward on the colour, but the nose has the first whiffs of oxidation – annoying rather than destructive. Across the palate this is certainly balanced enough and displays a generous extra mass versus the 03 Girardin Charlemagne, the texture is good too. Unfortunately this is linear and young – tasty but little overt complexity – just what you don’t want to hear after the oxidative hints on the nose. That’s a shame, as non-oxidising bottles won’t be anywhere near peaking in the next 5 years…
Medium-plus yellow. The nose is dense and ripe at the core, but a mix of floral and savoury notes makes this quite complex and interesting. In the mouth there’s decently textured impact and good mid-palate dimension. It doesn’t really seem to want for acidity. Tasty enough that the bottle didn’t last very long!
I double decanted the bottle then left it in the refrigerator for 1 hour as my room temp was about 28°. Medium, medium-plus colour though still cherry-red. The nose still manages to open up with a dark, reductive, slightly toasty oak impression – but it stays in the glass for less than 5 minutes. Slowly it builds a width of creamy, macerating morello cherry aromas, ever-so slowly adding depth with time – very faint herbs overlay the fruit and eventually a little toffee. In the mouth the first word that comes to my mind is unctuous as the sweet fruit wraps around your tongue, though the fruit’s smiling face turns to a frown as the tannin begins to assert itself – it’s like fine sand in texture but far from astringent. The acidity is on a relatively low level so it both dulls the mid-palate (no extra dimension) and adds little to the slightly earthy, salty finish. Unctuous, but I can’t say succulent – there’s just not the freshness for that – I honestly found the second glass a chore. For all that, it’s rather a concentrated and serene wine and about the best 03 I’ve tried recently from the 1er/grand cru levels, I’m also convinced that the pretty fruit will further improve, but I’m not convinced it will ever (for my taste) overcome the shortcoming of the acidity…
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