2015 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux that Bruno Clavelier explained tends to produce "airy" wines. They probably do, although my barrel sample was showing a little reduction when I tasted it. The palate is more representative with sappy red berry fruit, quite grippy in the mouth with good body and density. I feels a little uncouth juxtaposed against the Les Beaumonts at this stage, although there is commendable purity on the lightly spiced finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle at least and it should repay you.

(Clavelier describes his Corbeaux as "more Mazis than Chambertin," owing to its distinct combe influence): Bright medium red. Totally different from the Vosne-Romanée wines on the nose: darker in its fruit character, more earthy and more gamey, as well as a bit reduced. In a distinctly wilder style, but with a lovely silky, airy texture for Corbeaux, with the black cherry and dark raspberry fruit flavors showing freshness and elegance. This wonderfully seamless, aromatically complex wine is a big success in 2015 even if it doesn't yet show quite the precision of the premier crus from Vosne-Romanée. Finishes with suave tannins that avoid hardness.