2009 Bourgogne Rouge la Croix Blanche

The 2009 Bourgogne Rouge is a pretty, soft wine laced with dried cherries and flowers. This sensual, supple Bourgogne shows gorgeous mid-palate density and a supple personality best suited to near-term enjoyment. There is no shortage of pleasure here. The Bourgogne is made from parcels in Vosne-Romanee and Chambolle-Musigny. Tasted from tank. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Cecile Tremblay is one of Burgundy’s emerging young growers. I was very impressed with all of the wines I tasted. Tremblay farms four hectares of vineyards across eleven appellations. She favors lengthy macerations (the 2009s spent 30 days on the skins) with no chaptalization or acidification. The percentage of whole clusters varies from wine to wine and can reach 100% at the grand cru level. The wines stay on the lees with no racking until they are prepared for bottling. New oak ranges from 20% for the village wines to 70% for the Grand Crus. These are striking wines, but there is every reason to believe the best is yet to come from this small, high-quality domaine. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

Juicy even if not very appetising. Chewy. Not bad but not super charming. (JR)