2008 Chambolle Musigny La Combe d'Orvaux

Fascinating scents of Keemun tea and gentian; fresh red raspberry and cherry shadowed by their spirituous essences; and saline, savory meat stock inform the Gros 2008 Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveau, following onto a texturally tender palate that preserves the subtle but insistent tartness of fruit skin and piquancy of pits characteristic for so many Pinots of its vintage. This finishes with mouth-watering enticement to take the next sip, as well as with recognition of the wine’s fine but persistent tannins that were previously almost undetectable. I would plan on enjoying it over the next 3-5 years. Anne Gros always tends to prefer a light touch with extraction. This applies to a set of 2008s that she bottled already in December and agrees will probably be best enjoyed on the early side (though I suspect she might find my suggestions a tad too conservative). She picked until quite late, though, and – relative to most of her colleagues – even later in 2007, from which unfortunately I did not get opportunity to taste her collection. “The past three vintages,” she notes – including 2009 in her comment – “I’ve taken three weeks to harvest six and a half hectares, and I now regret that in the previous years I started too late,” meaning it was impossible to take as much time as she prefers for her wide range of elevations and exposures with grapes both black and white. (In 2003, harvest took place the 25th through 28th of August, the earliest and fastest harvest in the history of the domaine, but one Gros says she hopes fervently never to have to relive.) In Clos Vougeot alone, Gros harvested for five full days in 2008. A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93

Medium red. Tangy aromas of raspberry, red cherry, minerals and pepper. Supple but juicy and precise, with lovely mid-palate sweetness. A ripe, suave fruit bomb that finishes with dusty tannins and very good length.

Very pure, fruity nose. Fine and silky and super fruity. Gentle and easy. Quite delicate though there is still lots of fine tannin. (JR)