2001 Domaine Jean Grivot Echézeaux Grand Cru

Medium to dark ruby-colored, the 2001 Echezeaux boasts gorgeous aromatics of sweet black cherries, violets, and spices. An intense, medium-bodied effort jam-packed with fruit, it bastes the palate with broad layers of red cherries and raspberries. Pure, flavorful, and deep, its finish is somewhat marred by firm tannin. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. Etienne Grivot, the honorable, thoughtful man who runs this estate, characterized 2001 as having “decent ripeness” and being “comparable to 1978, a heterogeneous year of low maturity. Qualitatively, I’d rank it as better or much better than 1998.” Like his colleagues, Grivot mentioned the fact that the red 2001s have long malo-lactic fermentations, with many lasting through September, 2002. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725

Medium to dark ruby-colored, the 2001 Echezeaux boasts gorgeous aromatics of sweet black cherries, violets, and spices. An intense, medium-bodied effort jam-packed with fruit, it bastes the palate with broad layers of red cherries and raspberries. Pure, flavorful, and deep, its finish is somewhat marred by firm tannin. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. Jun 2003, www.robertparker.com

Good full, deep red. Sexy aromas of redcurrant, tobacco, smoke and underbrush; not at all reduced but smells a bit austere. Then fat, silky and sweet, with considerable concentration and a layered texture. This has excellent breadth and depth. Finishes with ripe, building tannins.