2005 Vosne Romanee Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes

Laurent’s 2005 Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts Vieilles Vignes exhibits pungently smoky, spicy, faintly gamy aromatics, a meaty, dense, and creamy palate impression, and very ripe, liqueur-like black raspberry and cherry fruit. A long, strikingly rich finish is accented by white pepper and brown spices. The tannins are completely covered in luscious folds of fruit, and this seems capable of delivering enormous pleasure at any time over the next decade and a half (although Laurent thinks that in general the 2005s will shut down for a while after bottling). Laurent says this comes from vine material that originated with Henri Jayer, for which he is always on the lookout. A Patrick Lesec Selection, Paris Fax 011 33 4 66 37 67 23; Martin Scott Wines, Ltd., Lake Success, NY Tel. (516) 327 0808

(from what Laurent says are well-placed 100-year-old vines) Red-ruby. Noble aromas of cassis, raspberry and minerals. Creamy-sweet and seamless, with a compellingly silky texture and insinuating dark berry and mineral flavors. This certainly has an old-viney fatness and breadth-the texture of a grand cru.