2005 Gevrey Chambertin Clos Prieur

From the lower, non-1er cru section of the vineyard with that name comes a 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur full of high-toned red currant and blueberry fruit essences, brown spices, and licorice. Tight-grained and long-lined, this refined and persistent Pinot offers only a subtle nod in the direction of meat or mineral, but will likely reveal more complexity with time, and certainly shows every sign of a decade’s ageability. Philippe Roty and his brother have matters well in hand and are on their way to bottling (as always here, unfiltered) a superb collection of 2005s. That said, this won’t even begin happening until late Spring and some wines may not be bottled until year’s end. (Wines followed above by the initials P.R. are from Philippe’s vines and will be labeled with his name.) Prolonged skin contact and gentle but relentless extraction are the practice here, and in 2005 that has made for Pinots of almost shockingly deep color, abundant and firm but fine tannins, and terrific overall intensity. Also recommended: 2005 Marsannay (85-86+?). Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173.

Bright medium ruby. Sappy black cherry with a hint of meat on the nose. Supple, broad and rich, with creamy, deep flavors of spice and violet. This has a sweetness and ripeness that suggests prune, and yet it shows superb inner-mouth aromatic character. Finishes with lush, sweet tannins.

A potent nose of blackberry fruit, earth, underbrush and some wood char gives way to extremely ripe flavors that run to plum and mocha on the chewy, long yet reasonably precise finish. There is good depth and punch here with better overall wood integration.Allen Meadows, Burghound, Jan 01 2008.