1995 Clos Vougeot

Dark-ruby-colored, the Clos Vougeot displays Asian spices and oak-imbued aromas and a highly-extracted, deeply concentrated, full-bodied, tannic, chewy flavor profile packed with layers of dark fruits. Drink it between 2002-2010. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy in Washington, D.C. in April. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided. Overall, 1995 is another in a string of successful vintages for Jadot. If there is one negociant house consumers can feel comfortable buying blindly, vintage to vintage, it is Jadot. Importer: Kobrand Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300

Dark red-ruby. Closed nose hints at black cherry, licorice and herbs; suggestion of crystallized fruit. Intensely flavored and vibrant but stubbornly backward on the palate; offers cool flavors of cherry and cassis leaf. Very young and quite persistent on the back end. May ultimately merit an even higher score.