2008 Chambertin

Bright red but without quite the depth of color of the 2009. Wild, more soil-driven aromas of strawberry, raspberry, salty minerality, menthol, herbs, mocha and underbrush, with building perfume of dried flowers. Not as fleshy as the '09 but wonderfully silky nonetheless, conveying a stronger impression of sappy vinosity and an intriguing blend of almost candied red fruits, fresh herbs, minerals and menthol. A distinctly more northern style of wine than the '09 and still a bit youthfully tight, with the dusty tannins in need of more time to integrate with the fruit. Jean-Louis Trapet noted that an extended flowering lasting three weeks ultimately led to irregular ripeness, which he believes may have brought more complexity. There was rain three weeks before the harvest on September 26, but it was following by a drying north wind that concentrated the grapes. (12.95% alcohol; 3.52 pH; 4.1 g/l acidity)

The 2008 Chambertin is dazzling. It is an explosive wine with tons of inner reserve just waiting to blossom. The wine’s unrestrained power is impossible to miss in the sheer intensity and depth of the fruit. The long, eternal finish is a hint of what is to come for those who have the discipline to bury bottles in a dark corner of the cellar. It is impressive juice. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048. This is a beautiful set of wines from Jean-Louis Trapet. The estate farms their vineyards biodynamically. After fermentation the wines are kept in a cold part of the cellar to delay the malolactic fermentations. When I visited in March 2011, the 2010s had not even begun their malos. In 2009 the harvest started on September 18. The wines spent about 18 days on the skins prior to being racked into barrel, where they stayed on their lees with no rackings until they were bottled with no fining or filtration. The amount of whole clusters ranged from 30% to 60%, while the use of new barrels ranged from 30% to 50%. The 2009s were bottled in February 2011, four to six weeks earlier than normal. Trapet is among the growers who believe the 2009s will not shut down in bottle. I was also quite taken with the selection of 2008s I tasted. Burgundy fans will find much to admire in both vintages. The house style tends towards the firm, classic end of the spectrum, so a measure of patience is required, even for the 2009s. Various US Importers, including: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404; Stacole Fine Wines, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 998-0029 A Patrick Lesec Selection (various importers), Paris Fax 011 33 4 66 37 67 23

Medium red. Blueberry, minerals and spices on the nose, lifted by notes of rose and white pepper. Pure and silky but with terrific inner-mouth tension to the sappy crushed fruit flavors. Denser than the Latricieres, but every bit as vibrant--and more backward today. Finishes with ripe tannins and subtly complex notes of fruit, game and saline, smoky underbrush. Superb.