2019 Maison Roche de Bellene Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru

Barrel sample. Greyish deep crimson. Like the Échezeaux, this smells of luxury but here it is darker and a little more oaky on the nose, very dark fruit profile. On the palate, dark, dense and savoury, a little charry, peppery, spiced, but the tannins are unexpectedly fine and supple even if the oak has thickened them slightly. Long, savoury aftertaste. Needs a lot of time. (JH)

The 2019 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru, like its “smaller” sibling, is destemmed and matured in 20% new oak, but it has a much more expressive and mineral-driven bouquet. This is very precise and well defined, offering an equal mixture of red and black fruit, undergrowth and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-textured opening, lovely depth and gentle grip. This is caressing and seductive and fans out wonderfully on the finish. A superb Grands-Echézeaux from Nicolas Potel.

The 2019 Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru, like its “smaller” sibling, is destemmed and matured in 20 new oak, but it has a much more expressive and mineral-driven bouquet. This is very precise and well defined, offering an equal mixture of red and black fruit, undergrowth and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-textured opening, lovely depth and gentle grip. This is caressing and seductive and fans out wonderfully on the finish. A superb Grands-Echézeaux from Nicolas Potel.