2017 Clos Vougeot

(75 new oak): Good red-ruby color. Withdrawn but pure aromas of blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate and spicy oak. Not as obviously dense as the Boudots but nicely delineated and rather stylish for Clos Vougeot, with its flavors of dark berries, mint and licorice complemented by saline soil tones. I find this slightly high-toned wine quite suave for its vintage. The serious but fine-grained tannins arrive late and build with air. This cuvée is typically the highest in pH in this cellar but not in 2015; in fact, at 3.49 it’s quite reasonable in the context of this very warm year.