2008 Chambertin Clos de Beze

Bouchard’s 2008 Chambertin Clos de Beze smells of dark cherry and plum, dusty crushed stone, peat, and licorice, Fine grained tannins permit a caressing palate feel that fits the wine’s sumptuously rich fruit, while mineral interest lends its long finish an almost spell-binding sense of interactivity. This should be worthy of at least 15 years of attention. There were fewer than two barriques’ worth of Bouchard Chambertin this year, and I did not taste that wine. Director-winemaker Philippe Prost made no attempt to minimize the challenges of 2008 and was careful to distinguish between its wind-borne concentration and genuinely ideal phenolic maturity (approached more nearly this year in white than red). He opined that the wide window afforded for relaxed picking despite the late calendar date was critical, since the levels of ripeness were so disparate from one site to another. That said, he showed me an outstanding collection of Pinots. Ironically, as he pointed out, ripeness was also disparate in one of the two earliest vintages on record, 2007, yet picking – while fitful – was anything but relaxed due to the pressure of rot. And here, too, Bouchard scored excellent successes. By means of, where necessary, “swapping lees” between barrels to inoculate stubborn lots, Prost says he was able to get all of his 2008s through malo-lactic conversion in timely fashion, which he considers especially important with Pinot. Bottling of the 2008 reds – with a few exceptions mentioned in my notes and due to have been bottled in April – took place in December and January, the same schedule adopted for their 2007s. I did not have an opportunity to taste nearly all of Bouchard’s vast collection from either vintage, and have in the text of my notes indicated a few from among their 2008s that I take to represent significant omissions. (I have not noted “Domaine” to distinguish those wines that are part of the Bouchard, except in cases where there is another otherwise eponymous wine.) Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6767

A wonderfully, even exuberantly spicy and layered nose speaks of earth, underbrush and a certain animale character on the primarily red berry fruit that moves seamlessly into cool and intensely mineral broad-scaled flavors that are powerful, vibrant and display a saline element on the stylish and classy finish that is presently quite linear and will require plenty of time to flesh out because the suggested initial drinking window is not a typo. *Don't Miss!*

(25% vendange entier Bright ruby-red. Aromas of violet and crushed stone lifted by an element of exotic spices. Wonderfully sweet and pliant for a young 2008 but with terrific lift and inner-mouth energy suggesting that this wine will evolve in bottle for a long time. The crushed stone character continues through to the very long, subtly palate-staining finish. (The Chambertin, a tiny barrel-and-a-half lot made entirely from whole clusters, was utterly primary and unevolved in November and as impenetrable as a black box. But this compellingly sweet and dense wine appears to offer 91-93 potential.)