1989 Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Echézeaux Grand Cru

The 1989 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a wide-bricked rim, then a lovely mature bouquet offering vestiges of red fruit infused with scents of iron filings and meat juices (is that a bit of brett?). It is powerful and burly. The palate is dense with a firm frame, the ferrous theme continuing toward a smudged tarry finish that manifests more delineation and refinement with aeration. Not a faultless display, but utterly charming.

The 1989 Echézeaux Grand Cru from Emmanuel Rouget (or more accurately Emmanuel with a little help from uncle Jayer) shows some bricking on the rim. The bouquet is quite entrancing with scents of antique vase, dried blood and iron rust. It is quite potent and beautifully focused. The palate is structured, that ferrous element coming through strongly on the entry and with just a slight fug of alcohol toward the powerful, burly finish. Returning after 15 minutes, this Echézeaux seems to coalesce and attain a more caressing texture. Mercurial and thought-provoking, this is a sublime grand cru.