2015 Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas

(80% new oak; 100% destemmed, "as usual here"): Deep red-ruby. Reduced nose melds black raspberry, wild strawberry and sexy oak tones, all lifted by a chalky note. Combines good density with lovely precision, with the raspberry and red licorice flavors framed on the end by substantial but even tannins. Classy and persistent--and a serious outperformer for village wine.

The 2015 Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas suffered a little more oïdium during the growing season and so Thibault used a little more SO2, ergo the wine tends to be more reduced. It is matured in 100% new oak, the first time that this has been done. That new oak does translate across onto the aromatics, which coupled with the reduction, made it difficult to read the terroir expression. The palate is sweet and candied on the entry with orange zest and tangerine infusing the red berry fruit, here the oak more assimilated than on the nose. Hopefully the aromatics will absorb the new oak, because the palate suggests good potential.

An elegant and well-layered nose combines notes of rose petal, red cherry, anise and a range of Vosne-style spice elements. There is a highly attractive texture to the supple, round and succulent medium weight flavors that possess excellent depth and length for a villages level wine. This is well worth considering. Dec 2016, www.burghound.com