2005 Vosne Romanee Beaumonts

Lovely crimson with such class. From vines planted in 1987 with amazing depth, sap and savour. This one positively vibrates – damned fine! Appetising dry finish. (JR)

The Seysses’ 2005 Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts smells of ripe plums and black raspberries, star anis, musky, narcissus-like flowers, resinous herbs, black pepper and smoked meats. Rather lean and firm on entry – like its Malconsorts sibling – this offers much more generous and juicy primary fruit, with more suggestions of underbrush and noble fungus. There is no lack of animal spirits or meaty depth on display in this no-nonsense, cut-to-the-terroir wine. It finishes with a torrent of flavor. I expect this and the Malconsorts should be given at least 5-7 years in the cellar. The newly-acquired Thomas-Moillard portion of this site actually touches the Domaine’s existing (and recently re-planted) parcel. The already rich array of crus at Domaine Dujac has recently been augmented on two fronts. The purchase (along with de Montille) of the Societe Civile du Clos de Thorey (Thomas-Moillard) has brought them a raft of choice parcels including three new grand cru holdings (for a staggering total of eight). Meanwhile, they have expanded their negociant arm (with control over harvest and green harvest a prerequisite) to supplement in particular their volumes of village-level wine. (Those wines – labeled “Dujac Fils & Pere” – are signified in the above listing with “FP”. In fact, due to a legal technicality, the 2005 vintage wines from the properties newly acquired by the domaine – but not subsequent vintages – will also read “Fils & Pere” rather than “Domaine”.) Even with California-trained oenologist Diana Seysses (nee Snowden) joining her husband Jeremy and in-laws Jacques and Alec, and with a new winery (though at the old address) I wonder at how they are able to keep up with the magnitude of their responsibilities. Yet despite so many parcels and vines new to them this year, the results are consistently outstanding and at times astounding. Much of the vinification – increasingly as one goes up the hierarchy of crus – was of whole clusters. Malos finished (finally) by November and the wines were bottle in December and January. Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel.(415) 491 4724