2003 Ruchottes Chambertin Grand Cru

Bright, deep red. Very ripe aromas of black cherry and exotic flowers; not at all cooked. Dense, sweet and extremely rich; this, too, really mounts on the back half spreads out to saturate the entire palate. The black fruit flavors seem quite young for the vintage. Here's a 2003 that needs time in the bottle.

The 2003 Ruchottes-Chambertin reveals a nose of dark stony fruits. Medium-bodied and firm, it displays appealing blackberry and cassis flavors in a highly structured, tannic format. While it lacks the depth, ripeness, and fat of the Echezeaux (from deeper soils), it could potentially merit an excellent score if its fruit outlasts it tannin. Projected maturity: 2008-2015. Importer: A Peter Vezan Selection, Paris fax #011-33-1-42-55-42-93

Medium red, less deep than the Echezeaux. Sappy, perfumed aromas of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, bitter chocolate, minerals and licorice. Fat, sweet and full, with an enticing pliant texture. Very rich and plump but with plenty of material in reserve, not to mention solid underlying structure and minerality. Finishes with sweet, nicely buffered tannins and lovely spicy persistence. Like the Echezeaux, this will need at least five or six years of bottle aging.