Deep and dark aromas, seems like tree-bark. Lots of structure yet there’s a nice interplay with floral notes in the mouth. After the 2000 this seems less ripe, the tannin still has much to say. Superb length – bravo!

The aromatics have a much deeper aspect – mulberry and savoury oak, a little spice and only faint stems – much more ‘adult’ than the obviously riper Echézeaux. In the mouth it’s very tight, but at the same time, more intense. The tannin just shows a little astringency in the mid-palate, the impression is just a little less fresh than the Echézeaux too. The finish is a slow diminuendo and less impressive today than that of the Echézeaux. The aromatics are the only dimension that clearly outpoints the previous wine – clinging beautifully to the glass. This has great potential, but today has quite a sullen aspect.

Yield 25.5 hl/ha – or 882 cases. Medium colour. The nose has a little more wood and stem ‘smoke’, faint vanilla at the base and just a little more width than the Echézeaux. Eventually the nose shows truffly notes and asian spice – more cohesion but I miss a fruit dimension, plus a little cedar is now appearing – 25 minutes finally gives us a little cherry! The nose seems much more primary than from barrel. The palate shows the elegance that I remember though the acidity seems just a little brighter with a trace of cedar on the mid-palate. Like the Echézeaux, there are no fireworks, rather understated length. This was my ‘amour’ from barrel – from bottle it seems merely ‘pretty’ rather than beguiling.

The nose is deeper and darker of aspect; dusky, fecund – quite exciting. Slowly the nose ‘brightens’ to bring higher-toned spicy elements to the fore, aniseed and red-wrapped fruit. The palate is less obviously sweet, some separation in the mouth between the impression from the fruit vs the tannin and extract that comes through on the mid-palate. The length is haunting, slowly drying out onto your teeth. This is an enigmatic wine today, almost two personalities in one glass – if they marry this will be a superb wine – it is anyway a larger step-up from the Echézeaux than in recent years.

There won’t be so many press tastings for this vintage as the average harvest across the domaine was a mere 18hl/ha – I guess I was lucky to taste this. Medium-plus colour. The nose is wide and deep with fresh berries, a little time in the glass gives up an extra spicy edge and extra purity to the fruit. In the mouth it’s fat and creamy and is loaded with velvety tannin and concentrated dry extract of fruit on the finish. This is a fascinating expression of the vintage, drier and less fresh than 2004 which I prefer.

There’s a little haze to the wine from this bottle and slightly paler colour vs the Echézeaux. The nose has a little extra lift vs the deeper Echezeaux, also shows an extra creamy edge. This wine really distinguishes itself by the intensity of its finish vs the previous two reds. It doesn’t give the ‘rush’ provided by the Echézeaux’ acidity but instead provides a warmer, denser aspect to the extract. The tannins have similar volume to the Echézeaux, but with finer structure. Lingers excellently on the palate.

Medium, medium-plus cherry red colour. The nose is a little less extrovert than the Échézeaux. It starts with powdery red fruit – no raspberry – but moves on to give a deeper and sweeter black cherry aspect coupled with a little earth. The palate gives the impression of more density and a blacker tone to the fruit. The acidity is first class and that tannins show a velvet touch. On the finish this shows less like the Montrachet/Échézeaux with pure fruit lingering well. Whilst still a backward wine, this shows much better than in January and you can easily see that although it is a little less ‘flashy’ than the Échézeaux, it also has more potential.

Again a medium, medium-plus cherry red colour. Where the Échézeaux was ‘broad’ in the nose, this is more focused though giving-up less. Higher toned with more maraschino cherry. The palate shows higher acidity and again, svelte, discrete tannin. The palate is also more focused and deep, though less ‘broad’ than the Échézeaux. There’s similar outstanding length, but to start with the wine doesn’t have the overall appeal of the Échézeaux. Slowly the nose starts to develop a wide, subtly spicy undertone (takes more than 10 minutes in the glass) which also starts to increase in depth. The palate is unchanging. I tried the second bottle and there was more obvious oak – though transient. This showed a little more depth than before and even a black edge to the fruit on the finish.

Similar colour to the Echézeaux, though paler in shade. The nose is much broader and deeper than the Echézeaux, showing a significantly blacker fruit profile. The palate again shows good ‘fat’, perhaps a little more acidity and certainly more of the smooth tannin. The finish seems just as long, though on a much lower register and also shows a hint of vanilla. A more interesting and complex wine than the Echézeaux – leaves a smooth coating on your teeth.