2018 Beaune 1er Cru Celebration

First vintage 2009. Blend of premiers crus. A little bit earthy, with a touch of volatile character like fresh paint. Dry and soft on the palate, just a little chew to finish. Aniseed gives a bit of interest on the finish. (RH)

The 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Célébration offers crunchy red berry fruit on the nose, crushed strawberry mingling with raspberry preserve and cranberry. A light vanilla scent emerges from the background. It is all disarmingly seductive (even more so the following day). The palate is medium-bodied with a very smooth and silky texture. Tart red cherries and crushed strawberry on the entry, modest depth, cashmere in texture and more sumptuous than previous iterations, unsurprising given the style of the 2018 vintage. Even if the 2018 Célébration does not quite “kick on” towards the finish, it is still utterly delicious.

(Outstanding)<br /> The opulently rich medium-bodied flavors possess a decidedly suave, round and velvet-textured texture with enough underlying acidity to avoid any sense of undue weight on the enveloping finish that begins to tighten up as it sits on the palate. This is the point where you begin to notice the underlying structure as the richness of the midpalate essentially hides them. The 2018 Célébration is one of those wines that could easily be enjoyed now (serve it on the cooler side) or held for up to a decade with good results.