2008 Romanee St Vivant

Naturally Lachaux’s 2008 Romanee Saint-Vivant bats last in the Arnoux line-up, but in addition, this vintage it puts every wine that came before it in the collection into perspective, and all but the Reignots in the shade (not that as a group these weren’t already noir enough Pinots). Sumptuous black fruits accented by fruit pit piquancy; complex if to some extent ineffable, decadent forest floor and mineral notes; exotic spices, rich chocolate, and heady floral perfume – all are on display in this seamlessly-rich, already velvet-textured beauty whose structure is implicit but deeply-buried. Yet there is not an ounce of superfluous fat or a bit of superficial sweetness, and there is that vibratory resonance possessed by the exceptional wines of this vintage. There are around 140 cases of this – not a small quantity by the standards of top-notch grand cru Burgundy – though of course a bottle will cost you dearly. I suspect it will be among the last 2008s to still be seducing a few lucky wine lovers 25 or more years from now. Jun 2010, www.robertparker.com