2005 Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertuis

Extremely linear and carefully delineated. Fresh and firm rather than sweet and flashy without the density of Leroy’s rendition but hugely superior to most wines selling under this name. Precisely sculpted and fine. Needs a fair amount of time. (JR)

The Anne Gros 2005 Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui offers aromas of plum, blackberry, vanilla, wood smoke, black tea, and tincture of iodine. Charred meat flavors join the purple and black fruits on the palate, and here, too, a toasted, resinous, slightly detached note of new wood is evident. The wine finishes with genuine grand cru length, and has density, girth, and underlying structure that suggest waiting the better part of a decade – which may also bring better integration of the oak – before pulling a cork. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits ($42.00; 86). A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93.

Bright red-ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of black cherry and minerals. Big, rich, chewy and strong. This boasts a lovely penetrating sweetness but is quite unforthcoming today. Tannins are substantial and ripe. Still a baby and a bit hard to fathom today.