2007 Gevrey Chambertin Cazetiers

Sandalwood, fresh cherry, salinity, and alkalinity mark the nose of the Clair 2007 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers, which delivers to the palate satisfyingly sweet berry and purple plum fruit; subtly-integrated tannins; and mouthwatering salinity and savor of roasting pan drippings. Hints of fruit pit bitterness and chalk lend counterpoint to a long, lip-smacking finish. This should be well worth following for 8-10 years, yet will be hard to resist meantime. Bruno Clair and Philippe Brun report that they had to warm their cellar to encourage the primary fermentations of their 2008s, and their 2009s were already into malo before the 2008s finished. In consequence, even their Marsannays from the latter vintage had only been assembled the day I visited them in February. (Other wines were recently assembled or still in barrel, as noted in the text, and most were destined for May bottling.) The 2008 harvest here did not commence until the beginning of October. "You had mature sugars," says Clair echoing a frequent refrain, "but not mature skins or pips." Quantities were almost shockingly small this year, the Gevrey Crus ranging between 20-25 hectoliters per hectare, and there is certainly no lack of structure in what for now present themselves as a somewhat severely concentration collection. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Neatly intense and well knitted even if not soaringly beautiful. Very tough tannins again. (JR)

Good deep red. Liqueur-like black cherry, bitter chocolate and mocha; almost porty on the nose. Then round, chewy and rich, offering less detail than the Petite Chapelle and a distinctly more open-knit mouth feel. Flavors of dark fruits, chocolate and minerals. Finishes with good breadth and solid, building tannins. This just finished its malo, which winemaker Brun said was rather odd for a high-pH wine.