2001 Chambolle Musigny

Sweet, candied black cherries burst from the glass of the medium to dark ruby-colored 2001 Chambolle-Musigny. Supple, sexy, and lush, it bastes the palate with sensual waves of blueberries, wild raspberries, and dark cherries. Plump, yet deep and lively, this is an outstanding wine jam-packed with fruit that lingers throughout its impressively long finish. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. According to Francois Millet, this famed estate’s highly talented winemaker, 2001 was a vintage that wished to produce high yields. “We dropped half the fruit before veraison (when the grapes change color), yet harvested 35 hectoliters per hectare, a high yield for this domaine.” Burgundy’s resident poet, Millet stated that “2001's fruit is its sensuality, the acidity is its conscience and soul.” While my pragmatic mind is incapable of understanding the meaning of his words, it is clear that Millet fashioned some of the finest red Burgundies produced in 2001. Importers: A David Schildknecht Selection, Vintner Select, Cincinnati, OH; tel. 513-229-3630; Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700; Chambers & Chambers, Inc., San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500; Dreyfus Ashby, New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770; Ideal Wines, Medford, MA; tel. 781-395-3300; and a Becky Wasserman Selection / Le Serbet; French Fax: 011-33-3-80-24-29-70, various American importers

Good deep red. Sappy, liqueur-like aromas of raspberry and cherry. Rich, supple and suave, with excellent fruit of noteworthy depth. Lacks a bit of precision following the recent racking, but this is temporary. Finishes with dusty, fine tannins.