1985 Clos St Denis

The 1985 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru had a slightly paler hue than the Clos de la Roche. The bouquet is heavenly with Morello cherry, wild strawberry, orange pith and clove, later just a splash of iodine. The palate has exquisite balance, filigree tannin, a sense of symmetry that roots you to the spot. The core of red fruit seems to build and build with aeration, touches of white pepper, clove and loam/earthy notes. I always look for backbone in this Grand Cru, and this particular wine from Jacques Seysses delivers precisely that though, it never becomes overpowering. Yet, there is that grip on the finish suggesting that like the Clos de la Roche, this has another 15 to 20 years in the tank...if you can resist temptation. Tasted at Tour d’Argent restaurant in Paris.

As a group the 1985s were more advanced and also seemed to offer far less upside potential. The Clos St. Denis was dominated by firm tannins that gave the wine a sense of angularity and leanness, with limited fruit. I tasted two bottles, neither of which seemed to suggest the wine might eventually come around. The Bonnes-Mares was the most convincing of the 1985s. Here the dark red fruit was textured, rich and expansive, although the wine needed quite a bit of time in the glass to show its pedigree. The 1985 Clos de la Roche came across as soft, floral, approachable and fully mature. Though somewhat simple in this context, it was also highly enjoyable as all of the elements seemed resolved.