1995 Domaine Robert Groffier Père & Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

Potentially a spectacular wine, the Chambertin Clos de Beze was the only 1995 Groffier offering that had not been bottled. Behind its dark, floral aromas a dense, brooding ripe sweetness of black fruits can be discerned with coaxing. On the palate, this intensely concentrated, extracted, chewy, thick and full-bodied monster reveals copious amounts of baked fruits, mocha, stones, minerals and dark, roasted spices in its flavor profile. Long and built to last, it should be at its peak between 2005-2015. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided. I was impressed with Robert Groffier's 1995s. They displayed good ripeness, concentration and structure. It is the first vintage where his wines will not be subjected to either a fining or filtration. I have purchased, drunk and cellared some of his previous vintages (and sold them when I worked in retail) and have seen the heights this domaine is capable of achieving. A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42-65-42-93), importers include : North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 848-8910.