750ml

From another parcel Laurent says is unusually rocky and thinly sub-soiled for its appellation (in this instance, next to Le Musigny), his two barrels of Grands Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes offer aromas of candied cherry and vanilla, a liqueur-like, almost confectionary and imposingly creamy palate impression, and a finish in which sheer ripeness, allied to notes of vanilla, caramel and coconut-shavings, make for a flamboyant display of oak-encased fruit. For clarity, purity, length, and sheer richness and sweetness of fruit, this is hard to fault, and I wonder whether the impression of extraneous woodiness is a momentary phase. Surprisingly, Laurent finds it necessary to routinely chaptalize the fruit of these eighty year-old vines (“a different strain of old Pinot” he calls them), reporting that even in 2003 it barely reached 12.5% potential alcohol.

1995 Dominique Laurent • Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
Whole cluster fermentation was used on the dark-ruby-colored Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux. It offers sweet red and black berry aromatics and an intensely ripe, jammy, viscous, full-bodied flavor profile packed with plummy concentrated fruit. Well-delineated and structured, it possesses ripe, round tannins in its admirable finish. Projected maturity: 2002-2009. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided.