2016 Gevrey Chambertin Les Combottes

(25% vendange entier ; this parcel is located next to Lignier's Clos de la Roche but the soil is more sandy and less rocky): Good dark red. Complex aromas of cherry, raspberry, menthol and licorice complicated by a suggestion of saline minerality. Dense, deep, sappy wine with lovely finesse of texture but also an impression of power to its flavors of plum, cherry and salty minerals. This is balanced from the start but has the stuffing to age slowly. (Incidentally, there's no more Gevrey-Chambertin La Perrière, as the vineyard owner sold these vines after a ten-year fermage arrangement with the Ligniers expired.)

The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes comes from a parcel just south of Clos de la Roche that was planted in 1957. It has a very subtle bouquet at first, gradually unfurling to reveal vibrant red berry fruit, fern, iris and bay leaf scents, later just a distant tang of iron rust. The palate is medium-bodied, the one-third whole-bunch fruit beautifully subsumed into the fabric of this Gevrey with a supple, quite fleshy finish belying the backbone underneath. Superb.

1957 vines. Near Morey’s Monts Luisants but different soil with some sand. Dark crimson. Rich, ripe nose. Lots of energy and tension in here. Very pure and racy – no sweet fruit, mainly structure. (JR)