2008 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er Cru

Good medium-deep red. Ripe aromas of raspberry, licorice and smoked meat, with deeper-pitched soil tones adding nuance. Like liquid velvet in the mouth, conveying an impression of huge volume without heaviness. Not showing its treble notes now but this expands in the mouth and explodes on the palate-staining finish. Seems already to be going into a shell; today the Orveaux is more expressive.

Blueish pale crimson. Not much evolution – just rather blocked fruit. Big and fruity and slightly fossilised. Nothing to complain about except a slight lack of complexity. (JR)

Bright, dark red. Brilliantly delineated aromas of raspberry, flowers, Oriental spices and crushed stone offer terrific verve. Wonderfully primary yet already sexy, offering superb mineral lift to the noble flavors of raspberry, cherry, orange zest, violet and spices. This sappy young wine boasts an exhilarating balance of sweetness and acidity. Finishes with outstanding palate-saturating fruit and impeccable balance. It's hard to believe that a wine like this won't shut down in the bottle at some point, but I'd love to see this in ten years.