2008 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Vosne-Romanée Cuvée Duvault Blochet 1er Cru

The 2008 Vosne-Romanee Cuvee Duvalt-Blochet bursts from the glass with an explosion of aromas and flavors. The wine turns more subtle on the palate. Sweet, floral notes wrap around the sublime finish. The 2008 is a haunting wine graced with exquisite class and elegance. Unlike the rest of the domaine’s 2008s, it will drink beautifully pretty much right out of the gate. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028. tasted the 2008s in bottle in late June 2011 after having gone through the 2010s from barrel. Aubert de Villaine describes 2008 as a difficult vintage with a lot of rain. Botrytis was an issue and the vineyards required constant attention. On September 14 the weather changed dramatically. A steady north wind dried out the grapes and concentrated sugars quickly, which also reduced the size of the berries. A further selection of fruit lowered yields to an even greater extent, resulting in overall production that is as much as 50% lower than normal for the Domaine. As for the wines, they are magnificent in my view, but will require considerable patience. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

(a premier cru bottling made from less-ripe vines and larger grapes in the Domaine's premier cru vineyards, picked a week later than the rest): Palish red. Currant, minerals, smoke and truffle on the nose. Supple and savory, with a plump texture to the strawberry and raspberry flavors. Finishes with slightly peppery tannins. This shows better balance and mid-palate texture than it did from bottle in the autumn of 2008.