2009 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg Grand Cru

The 2009 Richebourg comes across as quite elegant and restrained for this site. This isn't a huge Richebourg, rather it is a wine that convinces for its overall balance and sense of harmony. Today it is the wine's length and minerality that stand out. It will be interesting to see where the Richebourg goes over the coming years. Everything here is implied rather than stated.

The 2009 Richebourg comes across as quite elegant and restrained for this site. This isn’t a huge Richebourg, rather it is a wine that convinces for its overall balance and sense of harmony. Today it is the wine’s length and minerality that stand out. It will be interesting to see where the Richebourg goes over the coming years. Everything here is implied rather than stated. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. Etienne Grivot’s 2009s were some of the most exciting wines I tasted on my most recent trip to Burgundy. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

Bright full red. Pungent, utterly primary nose offers ripe blackberry, black cherry, violet, crushed stone, chocolate and coffee. Vibrant, sappy and palate-staining, with soil-driven flavors of dark berries, licorice, minerals and crushed stone complicated by a saline nuance. Here the vineyard manages to dominate the vintage, which is a neat trick in 2009. Finishes with noble, serious tannins and outstanding building persistence. Give this plenty of air if you plan to try it any time soon. Better yet, cellar it and forget it for a decade or more.