2008 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques

Denser crimson than most. Headily perfumed, very intense. Bright fruit with fine etching. Still a bit severe. Pretty brutal; sort of old-Gouges style. (JR)

The 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques opens with an explosive bouquet. The wine turns decidedly more elegant and ethereal on the palate. The Clos St. Jacques comes across as more ethereal than the Cazetiers. It is a texturally brilliant wine, with a sweet, sensual finish and an utterly refined personality. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. This is a beautiful set of wines from Bruno Clair. Every wine I tasted with Clair’s longtime oenologist Philippe Brun was gorgeous from top to bottom. While the top 2009s are certainly superb, the real jewels here are the village level wines which appear to be among the great success stories of the 2009 vintage. I tasted all of the wines from barrel, except the Marsannay and Marsannay Les Vaudanelles, both of which were bottled before the 2010 harvest. In 2009 Clair began harvesting on September 15 and ended on the 23rd. I also tasted a handful of 2008s, from a much later harvest that stretched into October. The handful of wines I tasted from that vintage are equally impressive, and equally worth your time. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; tel. (708) 343-6702, The Source, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 621-6151

Deep red. Compelling nose combines purple fruits, violet, red licorice, wild herbs and mint. Dense, strong and minerally but with a light touch. Quite ripe for 2008 but displays lovely finesse. Boasts almost grand cru volume and texture. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins and lovely lingering perfume.