A higher-toned red-fruit nose of very good depth. Concentrated, though the flavours are a little more diffuse versus the Chaumes, but like that wine, it tightens to provide a super core of fruit. The finish is rewarding, though perhaps a little behind the previous two Vosnes.
This wine retains a very healthy and quite deep (medium-plus) ruby-red colour at the core. The nose has some high woody notes – but relatively elegant wood – a darker more mineral core and fruit with a little raisined aspect. Impressive intensity is the opening gambit, again with clean, though slightly raisiny fruit – plenty of sweetness too. The acidity has a slightly harsh leading edge, but this is quickly broached to leave a complex, tasty melange of flavours that include a mineral – almost coal – type flavour. Long finishing too. Still grainy tannins that could do with resolving. Full marks for personality and complexity, some demerit for a hint of rusticity – but it’s actually still a young wine. I’m won over by its character and complexity – I drank rather more of it than I normally do in one evening – it’s a really engaging bottle.
Warm and sweet are main thoughts as you bring your nose to this, very pretty if not stunningly effusive. In the mouth it’s sweet and intense – tannic still – and has nice complexity. I don’t find the ‘cut’ and excitement that was evident in the Engel Brûlées, so would much rather drink that today but this is clearly no slouch.
A medium-plus core of ruby-red that fades to a crystal-clear watery edge. The nose is wine – but not as most people know it! A smoky, stemmy aroma that starts with an undertow – yes it can go deeper! – of dark oak. The oak fades within 15 minutes to leave a smoky impression of crushed/shredded vine leaves – but Autumn vine leaves, not Spring or Summer! Is there some fruit too? Well there is something behind, but you can’t really identify it. Time in the glass and you slowly transition from smoky elements to sweet, soft red strawberry fruit. The first sip gives you very finely grained tannin with a slight twist of astringency – but only slight. Decent freshness, though clearly moderated by all the stems (they increase pH), leading you into the mid-palate which has a nice and growing intensity against a sweet fruit background. The finish is long but very understated. Today this is riper and less tight from many from the vintage, yet it clearly should be left to slumber – it is also particular in style – whilst there is no overt oak flavour the stems initially dominate much more than in DRC, Dujac and l’Arlot, perhaps even more than Bourée. For me it certainly says more about the house style than the vineyard, but that’s today, I think I’ll make a comparison with the Arnoux when they reach 20 years, not long to wait…
A wide, slightly diffuse, earthy, mineral nose with fruit shaded to the red. Some reasonably fresh notes that overlay a dense, tight core – almost separated from the rest of the wine – comes together more in the glass. Some grainy tannin and a reasonably long finish. This is almost good – not as dense but fresher and more interesting than his Richebourg in this vintage.
A deep ruby-red core right to the rim. The nose is a bit of a give-away; once the prominent dark oak fades – 5 minutes – you are left with a wide and spicy vista over deeper sweet and dark oak. It takes rather a long time – over 1 hour – before striking yet still spice-edged cherry fruit is revealed. After the last wine this is sleeker and certainly more polished yet is equally concentrated. The acidity is just a little brighter but the velvet tannins and the finish are certainly more oak driven and just show a little bitterness because of that – it’s long though. Complex and compelling, though this wine is the only one of these five to show a strong winemaker’s signature with its modern oak-driven style.
Medium, medium-plus ruby red colour. The nose starts with heavy, sweet oak that totally obscures any fruit. The palate is jam packed and quite well textured, but my first impression is the creamy coconut on a finish who’s duration is frankly amazing for a 1er cru, it’s even like toffee after (over) a minute. The overall stance of this wine is medium-weight and it really has first-class balance – though I couldn’t find anything to indicate the village, let alone the vineyard for the first hour it was in my glass. The most telling comment came from my wife – and she wasn’t tasting (yet) – “what’s wrong, why are you pulling a face – is it corked?” – I didn’t know I was being watched! Two hours(!) in there’s a finer red fruit note just starting to appear above the sweet, soft base. Unlike some very expensive names in 2001, this wine has very ripe, if understated tannin and is excuisitely made, but particular in style. Going forward from here is quite simple; if you want a very high quality wine to luxuriate in, drink this wine right away. If, however, you want to drink a very high quality wine that reflects its origin, then don’t even think of opening one of these before 2012 – or you will be disappointed – in fact, make that 2015!
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