2005 Gevrey Chambertin

From old vines in Corbeaux and Cherbaudes (both adjoining Mazis) and young vines in Combottes, Trapet’s 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru offers lovely scents of cherry and plum with their pits, sage, and rose petal. Possessed of the most refined tannins thus far in the Trapet line-up, this displays generous, juicy fruit and an expansive, plush palate. I wish that the extraneous coconut shavings and resin of new wood were not so in evidence, because they only detract from the wine’s inherent perfume and cheapen its natural sweetness of fruit. (Will they diminish with time?) Distilled fruit, floral and herbal essences, fruit pits, subtle meatiness, and wet stone – along with the aforementioned notes of oak – inform a finish of impressive length and polish. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain (86), 2005 Bourgogne Aminima ($25.00; 85), 2005 Marsannay (86). Young Jean-Louis Trapet evinces an inspiring degree of sincerity and that rarest of human virtues “humbition”. He is clearly determined to return his family’s estate to the celebrated place they occupied on the international stage for much of the late 20th century, and thinks a critical tool is the practice of biodynamics, in which the domaine was recently officially certified. Nature certainly cooperated in 2005 almost regardless of method let alone metaphysics, and this is a promising collection. The wines are not sulfured at all during their elevage, and only minimally at bottling, demanding that the typical taster re-calibrate his or her palate accordingly. A Patrick Lesec Selection (various importers), Paris Fax 011 33 4 66 37 67 23.