Tasting Note
91-93 Points, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous From the bottom of the hill: Good full red. Black raspberry and oak aromas. Sweet, dense and full, with plenty of smoky oak. Lacks the refinement of grand cru, though. Finishes with slightly hard-edged tannins. From the middle of the hill: Full, deep ruby-red. More sappy and fresh than the first sample, with lively floral and mineral lift. Purer and more refined, with highly aromatic fruit complicated by deep spiciness. Finishes firmly tannic, with some charry oak. From the top portion of the vineyard, which is richer in chalk: Deep ruby-red. Bright, sappy aromas of framboise and stone; offers as much intellectual appeal as hedonistic. Sweet and supple, with terrific verve. Conveys flavor intensity without excess weight in the way that the best grand cru Burgundies do. Finishes with sweet tannins and building, very persistent flavor. An approximation of the final wine: Bright ruby red. Vibrant, complex nose combines raspberry, black cherry, minerals, bitter chocolate and flowers. Fat and sweet in the middle, but with sappy verve. Dense, smooth, chewy and aromatic in the mouth, then youthfully austere on the very long finish. Late note of oak char. This will need at least five or six years of bottle aging to reach its peak.Review Date: 01 Mar 03
