Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Aux Reignots 2009 3x75cl

88-91 Points, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous (from 11-year-old vines) Good full red. Expressive aromas of cherry, raspberry and smoky minerality. Supple, sweet and very ripe; an easygoing fruit bomb with a chocolatey quality. Finishes with substantial tannins and a slightly aggressive character.Review Date: 01 Jan 11

Domaine Cathiard has been run since 2010 by Sebastien Cathiard, who has built on the incredible work done by his father, Sylvain, in creating wone of the most sought-after addresses in the Cote de Nuits. From the beginning of his tenure, Sylvain crafted wines known for their beautiful depth, purity of fruit, and texture which garnered them an avid following. Sebastien has carried on this legacy, bringing even greater clarity, precision and finesse to the wines. The high regard in which these wines are held is a reflection of the consistently outstanding quality we have come to expect of this brilliant Vosne-Romanée-based producer. For a number of years now, the Cathiard property had been something of a perpetual building site. Now, there is more than enough space for Sebastien to work with the same obsessive attention to detail on his growing range of Hautes-Côtes de Nuits wines as on the Domaine’s well-established range of Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-St Georges Premiers Crus that have cult-like status across the board. The fine range of Hautes-Côtes de Nuits reds capitalises on the beneficial impact of climate change on this particular region of the Côte d’Or and allows a greater number of wine-lovers the opportunity to enjoy the style and quality that are synonymous with Domaine Cathiard but at a much more affordable price level.