2005 Chambertin Clos de Beze

The Drouhin 2005 Chambertin Clos de Beze – which combines purchased fruit with a bit from their domaine – displays a classic nose of black cherry, licorice, white pepper, and rose petal; stains the palate with its intensity of fruit, herb and flower while displaying fantastic elegance, polish and silken refinement of texture; and grips for dear life in a finish marked by stunningly vivid floral perfume. This superb Pinot should not be revisited for at least 5-7 years and will doubtless be worth holding for twice that amount of time. These 2005s were bottled around two months earlier than usual, says Frederic Drouhin, to retain freshness. (Long-time oenologue Laurence Jobard, incidentally, was replaced this year by Jerome Faure-Brac.) As is always the case, fruit from a great many properties owned or accessed by Drouhin is declassified and blended out, leaving only selected terroirs as the subjects of single-site bottlings. (In 2004, for example, even the Beaune Clos des Mouches – due to hail – was declassified into lip-smacking, remarkably soothing Cote de Beaune.) That said, as befits the quality of 2005, there were more individual bottlings from this vintage than is usual, and I did not taste all of them. (Wines from the Drouhin domaine holdings display a “D” in their listing.) This year’s collection radiates class from top to bottom. Even Drouhin’s ubiquitous, 25,000-case generic “Laforet” displays tender, ripe cherry fruit, a silky palate and iodine-like minerality. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne Laforet ($14.00;85). Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770

Good medium red. Deep, highly aromatic nose combines red cherry, rose petal, pepper and spices, along with a slight medicinal austerity. Lush on entry, then fine-grained and palate-caressing in the middle, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character. As sweet and silky as this it, it's almost monolithic now and it finishes with big, broad, slightly tough tannins that will require at least six to eight years of aging. Philippe told me he prefers the softer tannins of the Chambolle area in 2005. But this will be long-lived.