2005 Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

A very ripe but brooding and serious earthy dark berry fruit nose that introduces distinctly sauvage flavors that are rich, mouth coating and palate saturating as the amount of dry extract here is most impressive, all wrapped in a punchy and powerful finish with a core of very ripe tannins. This is by no means an elegant wine but quality like this is very rarely found at the villages level but make no mistake, patience is required. Highly recommended.

Quite heady and seductive. Zesty, almost citrus peel acidity. Very chewy for the moment. Chewy finish with chalky tannins. (JR)

While I found the Bourgogne and village Gevrey (both already bottled) a bit superficially sweet and woody, things got much more interesting and tasty when it came to a 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, from parcels well-located all around the appellation. It smells of black cherry, blackberry, citrus oils and roasting meat, offers an impressive palate saturation of fresh black fruits and licorice, and finishes with lingering sweetness and vanilla and resin barrel notes. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne ($20.00; 86); 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin ($28.00; 86). It seems fitting that the wines of Serafin – who trained as a carpenter – would be surrounded by new wood. For all of their intense fruit (heightened by a week’s pre-fermentative cold soaking), there is a certain stylistic stiffness which, taken together with the natural concentration and structure of the vintage, suggests one would do well to wait six or eight years before pulling any corks. Serafin – who likens them to more concentrated, corseted cousins of his 1999s -- does not demur. He also seemed happy to note that he had managed to keep this year’s collection under 14% alcohol. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083.