2009 Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes powers through the palate with an authoritative core of dark fruit. This shows quite a bit of muscle and density. Minerals and crushed rocks wrap around the big, building finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Denis Bachelet farms four hectares of vineyards, which are just enough to produce about 20,000 bottles of wine per year. Many of the vineyards are old, which contributes to a house style built on power and textural richness. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; AOC Imports, CA; tel. (415) 279-8708; Toepfer Imports LLC, CO; tel. (303) 818-7640

Full medium ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, pepper and mint. Then rich, creamy and liqueur-like, with compelling sweetness to the blackberry and blueberry flavors. Lush, seamless, impressively broad village wine that retains good verve in spite of its full ripeness. Finishes with very fine tannins.

75 years but being replaced one by one. Mostly in the north of the village. Very dark. Very incense nose with real excitement and density. Very rich and supple and gorgeous. Just lovely – you would never think it was ‘just’ a village wine. Light calcaire pebbly slope – quite like Charmes. To be bottled after full moon in March. Very small bunches. So long and rich. Great reverberant stuff. (JR)