2008 Vosne Romanee Champs Perdrix

Just assembled the day I tasted it, Clair's 2008 Vosne-Romanee Les Champs Perdrix mingles dark cherry with game and leather, a peppery pungency and allusions to forest floor and chalk emerging on the finish. Firm and restrained, even a bit somber, this nevertheless displays the complexity associated with these old vines formidably situated above La Tache. Expect likely short-term opening-up after it sloughs off the effects of assemblage and then bottling, and fascination over at least the next 8-10 years. 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

Deep red. Rather sauvage aromas of raspberry, spices and fresh blood. Then silky and smoky in the middle, with underlying stony minerality giving lift to the wine. This is a step up over the foregoing samples in purity and texture. Finishes with an intriguing smoky minerality.

Scented and quite rich. Flattering fruity start but the acidity dominates towards the end. (JR)