2015 Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses

Cask sample. 17 months in oak, 40% new. Mid crimson. Fragrant and remarkably delicate, with extreme finesse already. That delicacy does mean that the alcohol is felt a little on the finish but it’s succulent and refined. (JH)

The 2015 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Amoureuses, which contains 20-25% whole bunch fruit, has a surprisingly understated bouquet when considering both the precocity of the vintage and the esteemed vineyard in question. It gently unfurls with red cherries, strawberry preserve, crushed rose petals and wet stone. This is very classy and dare I say, I might mistake it for say one of Christophe Roumier's wines. The palate is very refined with crisp acidity, shimmering red cherry and strawberry fruit, superb mineralité and great tension on the finish. Do not underestimate this Amoureuses, because I suspect it will have a long and prosperous future.

Like the Lavaut this is very generously wooded and it’s enough to particularly mask the floral and essence of red currant nose. By contrast there is a really lovely inner mouth perfume to the wonderfully refined and seductively textured flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the slightly warm but classy and strikingly persistent finish. As the description suggests this isn’t at present especially harmonious but the density is such that the wood will probably be successfully absorbed and overall, this is likely to eventually harmonize. Dec 2016, www.burghound.com