2005 Chambertin

The vines are 90 years old in Dugat’s Chambertin plot and he pulls out all the stops. Grapes are foot trodden, no destemming, no pumps, everything in the vineyawrd is done by hand. He talks of a horse maybe next year. The wine is exceptionally dark and majestic somehow. Just one sniff and the wine demands attention. Full and vibrant, really seigneurial. This wine vibrates. The tannins, which are indubitably there in abundance, are almost unnoticeable, so great is the concentration of meaty fruit, yet the wine is slyly playful too. There are so many layers, it’s like the most intimidating professor, enormous vigour and lift on the finish. I think I saw one and a half barrels of this. Hardly enough to satisfy those who taste it in the cellar, I’d have thought. (JR)

(just a single 205-liter barrel) Saturated deep ruby. A black hole of a nose, with black fruits and licorice lurking. Offers great volume and lift and yet today this is quite primary and hard to get a handle on-and not obviously better than the Mazis. But this coats every nook and cranny of the palate and displays great aromatic persistence on the aftertaste. Boasts a rare combination of power and finesse. Finishes tannic and backward, with great density and a note of licorice. Can't match the Mazis today for sheer detail but this also has the potential to be a cellar treasure.