2005 Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Fournaux 1er Cru

From old vines just south of the Vergelesses vineyard, Bize’s 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Fournaux offers aromas of high-toned cherry, cinnamon, wet stone and citrus zest. Possessed of almost Riesling-like brightness in the nose, this is nonetheless surprisingly soft and pliable on the palate, combining ripe cherry fruit and tactile, crushed stone suggestions of minerality. Its having just been bottled seems to be the reason for this otherwise admirable and distinctive wine’s somewhat clipped finish. Malolactic fermentations took place without delay and Patrick Bize had bottled many of the wines already in November. A significant portion of whole clusters were included in most of the fermentations. Wines from this address seldom make concessions to early drinkability or cheap thrills, and the inherently concentrated, darkly toned 2005s are certainly no exception. A Becky Wassserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70.