2005 Domaine Gérard Raphet Clos de Vougeot Cuvée Unique Grand Cru

Bright, dark red. Rather stern aromas of medicinal black cherry and licorice. Ripe, silky and deep, with impressive earthy sweetness but a distinctly serious attitude. Solidly structured but extremely primary today. Dense, broad and very long, with thoroughly ripe tannins. Offers impressive potential. (I tasted these wines, all special selections for North Berkeley Imports, in New York, as Raphet was preparing his 2005s for bottling when I was in Burgundy in November. There is also a separate old-vines bottling of Clos Vougeot, which I did not taste.)