2005 Chambertin Clos de Beze

Good deep red. Austere but highly complex nose offers dark plum, smoked meat, minerals, spices and earth, along with a whiff of cinders. Then almost surprisingly fat and sweet, with outstanding volume and solidity to its highly complex flavors of black cherry, brown spices, mocha, dried flowers and minerals. A huge wine for this cellar yet it remains light on its feet. The finish brings a touch of minty medicinal austerity and building tannins, suggesting that this impressively powerful yet classy wine will require a good dozen years of cellaring.

The most complete wine here with a spicy, earthy, gamy and strikingly elegant if presently reserved nose of musky black cherry fruit aromas that introduce rich, sweet and mouth coating flavors that explode on the strikingly long finish. This is a classy thoroughbred of a wine with superb complexity, impeccable balance and huge length, all delivered with both grace and power. Be prepared to be patient however as this will need plenty of time.

Lively, delicate, dancing fruit. Very, very lively. Very exciting. Lovely race. Long. Reverberation. Real layers and tip top. (JR)