2005 Domaine Michel & Joanna Ecard Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Serpentieres Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru

The 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Serpentieres smells of fresh red raspberries with distilled overtones, wood smoke, toasted nuts and spices. It comes onto the palate fresh and juicy, with considerable refinement of tannin and clarity of fruit as well as flattering glyceral richness, and finishes with smoky, chalky, meaty notes. (The last vintage for Michel Ecard’s father Maurice is also reported on in this issue.) Michel Ecard left his family’s domaine two years ago and began making wine from four hectares whose fruit his two uncles had formerly sold to negociants. By terms of the subsequent sale and lease of the family domaine, Michel will have to wait nearly twenty years before he gets a share of inheritance to farm for himself. There is no question of his conscientiousness, and one can expect the wines to improve as he applies some tough love to his uncles’ vines. There will be one additional cru here in each of the next two years. Also recommended: 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Gravains ($57.00; 86), 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Peuillets ($57.00;85). A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93.