2005 Domaine de Courcel Pommard Les Fremiers 1er Cru

Undeniably rich in fruit yet uncompromisingly tannic, the 2005 Pommard Fremiers features tart black cherry, bitter-sweet preserved walnut, pungent flowers, and beef bouillon. Pithy in its fine tannins and faintly bitter fruit pit personality, salty, and piquantly nutty, it lays down impressive finishing traces, though dogged by tannins that must at some point come to heel if this well-concentrated and complex wine is to fulfil its potential. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

Good full red. Wild, superripe aromas of dark fruits, underbrush and game. Lush, generous and expressive, with adequate acidity framing the rich cherry flavor. Firmly tannic and broad on the back. At once solid and rather elegant. Confuron cut the percentage of new oak here to about 30%. "The aromas in 2005 are rich but delicate, and they don't need to be overwhelmed by new oak," he explained.