2012 Vosne Romanee Les Barreaux

(just three barrels produced; tasted from tank): Good dark color. Very pure aromas of cassis, black cherry, violet and spicy oak. Densely packed and perfumed, with electric mineral energy to the flavors of cassis, blackberry, violet, licorice and bitter chocolate. A great village wine at the level of a very good premier cru. Finishes dense and long.

Three pièces, of which one is new presumably. Vines from 1903 which were affected a bit by millerandage. Tiny raisins. No juice. Under Cros Parantoux. Very intense, almost yeast-extract concentration. Firm and with masses of character – not unlike its maker. (I have almost certainly made this observation before.) Marmite wine in terms of style. Very long. (JR)

From vines planted way back in 1903, the 2012 Vosne-Romanee Les Barreaux has a very elegant and pure bouquet, the fruit profile a tad darker and more introspective than the Chambolle, but very delineated. The palate is crisp and vibrant on the entry with blood orange infusing the dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit, with fine precision on the almost understated but classy finish. After modest success with her 2011s, it was great to come back to this domaine to find eternally youthful pixie-like Anne Gros back on form with a gaggle of gorgeous 2012s. Anne, the cousin of Bernard, Michel and Anne-Francoise, is one of the most conscientious winemakers I know, somebody who lives for her family, whether that is her three children or her vines. She exacts a meticulous picking, which in 2012 commenced on 21 September and lasted over three weeks until the 15 October up in her “Hautes Cotes” vines. I have written several times about this domaine, which I visited on my first Burgundy trip back in 1997. They have a slightly modern sheen like her cousin Bernard Gros, but here they are slightly more nuanced and terroir-driven. Quantities are small and sought after, and in 2012 her piece de resistance might not be the Richebourg, rather one of the best Clos de Vougeot wines of the vintage. But do not ignore either her excellent Hautes Cotes de Nuits white or red (or indeed her superb joint venture with partner Jean-Paul Tollot down in sunny Minnervois.) Importers: various importers (go to http://www.anne-gros.com/en/in-the-world.html) and several importers in both the US and UK.