2008 Vosne Romanee Les Gaudichots

Medium red. Superb lift to the aromas and flavors of raspberry, Oriental spices, crushed stone and blond tobacco. Rich, sweet, elegant and very young, with outstanding density and precision to the middle palate. A real whiplash of flavor here, and wonderfully perfumed in the mouth. Conveys an almost electric impression of energy. The long, aromatic finish stains the palate. This bracing wine seems destined for a slow and spectacular evolution in bottle.

Bright, deep ruby-red. Fruitier on the nose today than the Petits Monts, offering black cherry, minerals and bitter chocolate lifted by a minty nuance and Indian spices. Also sweeter and creamier in the mouth, with its strong cassis and bitter chocolate flavors conveying a pronounced impression of sucrosite Turns more taut and serious on the back end, finishing with firm tannins and excellent energy and lift. All of these wines strike me as quite classically dry. An excellent showing, although this wine needs more elevage and will clearly benefit from a minimum of five or six years of bottle aging.

The 2008 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Gaudichots actually had the audacity to put the 2005 in its place. It has a beautiful nose with blackberry, red plum and juniper berries, the oak nicely integrated but perhaps needs another two or three years to fully integrate. The palate is well- balanced, vibrant in the mouth, with very well-judged acidity, the primary notes ebbing away to reveal touches of Provencal herbs and hints of cooked meat. This has great potential – an excellent wine for the vintage. Drink 2016-2030. Aug 2014, www.robertparker.com