2005 Domaine Trapet Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru

An exceptionally fresh nose of beautiful red berry fruit and mineral hints trimmed in a subtle touch of wood spice introduces absolutely lovely, classy and pure moderately sized flavors that are built on a base of minerality, all wrapped in a vibrant and firmly structured finish where there is an almost palpable sense of the underlying tension and energy. A terrific Latricières that should improve for up to 15 years and last for 40. Again, note that considerable patience will be required and my suggested drinking window may very well be conservative.

From a site Trapet senior claims manages to combine all three basic soil types of the Gevrey Grand Crus – fossil-rich Marne clay; gravel; and limestone bedbrock – for maximum complexity, comes the 2005 Latriciere-Chambertin. Musky, truffly, gamey and ripe berry aromas lead into a palate featuring fresh black cherry, caramel, game, chalk, and further somewhat superficial markings of “terroir du chene”, all accompanied by firm tannins, whose effect has, I suspect, been rendered more prominent in the finish by the recent bottling. This is an impressively concentrated, incipiently complex wine that will, in any event, probably require 7-10 years to show its full potential. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain (86), 2005 Bourgogne Aminima ($25.00; 85), 2005 Marsannay (86). Young Jean-Louis Trapet evinces an inspiring degree of sincerity and that rarest of human virtues “humbition”. He is clearly determined to return his family’s estate to the celebrated place they occupied on the international stage for much of the late 20th century, and thinks a critical tool is the practice of biodynamics, in which the domaine was recently officially certified. Nature certainly cooperated in 2005 almost regardless of method let alone metaphysics, and this is a promising collection. The wines are not sulfured at all during their elevage, and only minimally at bottling, demanding that the typical taster re-calibrate his or her palate accordingly. A Patrick Lesec Selection (various importers), Paris Fax 011 33 4 66 37 67 23.

Good full, deep red. Sauvage aromas of red berries and meat. Bigger and broader than the Petite Chapelle but without that wine's delicacy; less pristine and more smoky. But then this is less evolved and harder to taste today. Finishes with dusty tannins and notes of minerals and licorice. This will need a good decade of aging.