2012 Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes

The 2012 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Chaumees is raised in 40% new oak. It has an attractive candied essence on the pure, feminine, almost “wily” nose. The palate is silky smooth and fleshy on the entry with a dash of white pepper enlivening the sumptuous finish. Very gourmand! Give this a couple of years in bottle before calling for the waiter’s friend. “Noellat” might be a name synonymous with Vosne-Romanee for decades. However 22-year-old Maxime Cheurlin, Georges Noellat’s nephew, is a name to look for in the future. He grew up in Champagne rather than the Cote d’Or since his parents run a successful champagne house, but it seems that Maxime heard the calling and seems intent on reinstalling the family name in Burgundy. With some enviable parcels of vine scattered around the locale, Maxime works out of the family’s small cellars just behind his parents’ house whose conservatory offers a fantastic panorama across their holding of Les Chaumees. Stylistically, these wines reminded me of Sylvain Cathiard. Yes, there is a modern sheen lent by the new oak, although it only seemed to be slightly excessive with respect to the Echezeaux. Maxime seems to be a driven young vigneron whose tenets have been instilled from an early age, but wow – what potential! Importer: Becky Wasserman Selection (Le Serbet) and through various US importers (see www.leserbet.com for full list.)