A highly expressive and kaleidoscopic nose also offers up a dazzling breadth of aromas with more rose petal and violet notes combining with those of kirsch, herb and humus, all of which are reflected by the ripe, pure and extremely fresh silkily-textured big-bodied flavors that possess firm tannins that are completely enrobed by the impressive amount of extract that also coats the mouth on the hugely long finish. The '08 La T�¢che is not an especially powerful wine by its standards and it's more like a gymnast with its sleek muscularity and perfect balance. Terrific.

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Good medium-deep red. Knockout high-pitched nose shows great lift to its aromas of raspberry, rose petal and Oriental spices. Silky-sweet, supple and highly concentrated but very tightly coiled today. Saturates the entire palate without exerting any impression of weight. Wonderfully suave, plush wine with superb energy on the very long, vibrating finish.

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Bright pinky ruby. Light fresh cedary spice, sightly stemmy, and a restrained cherry fruit. There’s also something in the aroma that reminds me slightly of molasses – not sweet but a sort of bitter sweetness. Delicate leafy note even though it is fully ripe. Savoury, dry and extremely elegant on the palate. Very very fine-grained, paper-fine, mouthwateringly fresh tannin/acid balance. Less apparent density than the Richebourg and the Romanée-St-Vivant but amazingly persistent. (JH)

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The 2008 La Tache is another huge, powerful wine. Deep layers of perfumed fruit flow from this gorgeous wine. Mint, crushed flowers, orange peel and spices are just some of the notes that emerge from the wonderfully textured fruit. Darker hints of earthiness, tar and minerals frame the sweeping, eternal finish. This is simply dazzling.

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Features dark blackberry, black cherry and licorice aromas and flavors, allied to a density and heavier textural component that sets this apart. Very complex, vibrant and long.

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