2012 Chambertin Clos de Beze

(100% vendange entier , 100% new oak): Dark, bright red. Knockout nose combines sappy red and darker berries, mocha and underbrush, complemented by sexy sweet oak and lifted by a rose petal perfume. Pure crunchy cranberry and pomegranate fruit flavors convey an almost painful urgency, thanks to the energy provided by the whole-cluster fermentation. Chewy, deep and very backward wine, finishing with a distinctly savory character and a peppery quality from the stems. Exciting potential here. Both this wine and the Bonnes-Mares display a distinctly redder--as opposed to black--fruit character from bottle than they did from tank in November of 2013.

(100% whole-cluster vinification, with tiny grapes): Deep ruby-red. Sexy musky black raspberry and a whiff of game on the nose. Silky, thick and brooding, with a positive medicinal aspect to the concentrated, sweet flavors of blueberry, licorice and violet. Shows the creaminess of 80-year-old vines and really fills the mouth with flavor. Finishes with serious but very suave tannins and outstanding length. The whole-cluster vinification helped to preserve the coldness of the terroir, noted Nicolas Groffier. Broad and complete grand cru.

Groffier's 2012 Chambertin Clos de Bèze is a real head-turner. Bright floral notes lift from the glass effortlessly. The wine's inner perfume and sweetness are totally beguiling. Layers of blue and black fruits appear later, followed by spice, mint and violet overtones. The textured finish is long and impeccable in a Bèze that is more about silkiness and power. As such, readers will find plenty of early appeal in the 2012. The 2012 was vinified with 100% whole clusters, which are integrated nicely.