Medium-plus colour. The nose has a junior version of what I thought a hint bretty in the villages wine, but to be honest, I do like it at this low level where it seems more mineral. Well behind is a very dark red and black fruit bubbling under the horizon. After the villages, this is a big mouthful of wine – plenty of furry tannin, very good acidity and even more impressive intensity. It remains a little linear at the core, but the finish lingers well. Not surprisingly this seems less mature than the villages, but frankly today it is quite exciting and just as drinkable as the Lavières. I’m so glad that I have some ‘big’ bottles waiting too!
Grivot Jean
1996 Grivot Jean Nuits St.Georges Les Lavières
Medium colour. The nose is wide and a little wild, perhaps a soupçon of brett? Maybe not, a clearer fruit note does come through, but there is plenty here that suggests a measure of aromatic maturity. If the nose hints at maturity, the palate less so; excellent acidity is the base of a taught and wiry aspect to this wine – quite narrow and primary in the mid-palate. I would say, despite the aromas, this needs at least another 3 years in the cellar for something equating to the first stage of marturity. That said – it is quite drinkable now – in this format.
1995 Grivot Jean Nuits St.Georges Les Lavières
The colour has quite some garnet maturity, but it’s bright and appealing. The nose starts a little meaty, but with about 45 minutes of aeration it centres itself on slightly spicy red-skinned plum – but not in any way heavy. Likewise the palate is quite stodgy for about 1 hour, but little-by-little it becomes fresher, helped by penetrating but smooth acidity that amplifies high toned dark red fruits on the palate. It seems to slowly sweeten, the tannin is background but encases everything in a very thin astringent coating – actually quite a nice effect. Slowly lingering with a trace of warmth. I slowly warmed to this, it was quite aloof and even unknit when opened, but was worth the wait.
2007 Grivot Jean Vosne-Romanée Bossières
2007 Grivot Jean Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts
2007 Grivot Jean Echézeaux
2003 Grivot Jean Vosne-Romanée
Frankly, I’ve little experience of recent Grivots, so this will be interesting: Deep colour. Dense but not at all clunky red fruit – a little tight but nothing ungainly – slowly building some higher tones, rounding out to be quite lithe and not a bit jammy – a good 2003 nose. Mouth-filling though also a little mouth-puckering from the tannin, yet the acidity is not bad. Just a little mouth-watering which combined with the tannin that clings to your gums makes this quite long – incredibly young though. Not a bit of roasted fruit and showing enough energy on the palate. Clearly this needs lots of cellar time but it’s a very successful wine for the vintage – well done Etienne!
1996 Grivot Jean Nuits St.Georges Les Boudots
I havented tasted one for a while, but I have a quite a few Grivot Nuits from this vintage – the Roncières in particular has been very nice. My first Grivot Boudots from ‘96: A little darker in colour than the Corton. The darker fruit also shows a hint of mustiness and is also a little more muscular. The delivery on the palate is similar to the Corton, intense, some tannin though the fruit is darker and a shade metallic tasting. Almost good, and of-course very young.
1996 Grivot Jean Clos de Vougeot
Still medium-plus colour, now it’s quite ruby-red though still a slightly cherry-red reflection remains. The nose is super-deep, chocolate-coated undergrowth with just a hint of more volatile elements. Lithe – actually quite muscular – withfading velvet tannin and real extra dimension in the mid-palate. This has a super, chocolate framed, finish that’s borne on great acidity. Powerful, concentrated but balanced; even in half-bottle format this is halfway between an intellectual challenge and pure pleasure, so in well-stored, larger, formats I would suggest waiting at least another 5 years.