2000 Grands Echezeaux

The Grands Echézeaux 2000 is a cerebral Burgundy, not quite as convincing as it was three years ago, but still a great wine. Here it has a vibrant red berry, stony bouquet that is reserved at first, but opens nicely with limestone and sea-spray scents emerging with time. It has a quite brilliant balance on the palate–not a powerful Grands Echézeaux but complex, with hints of black olive and chlorophyll emerging toward the finish that gently fans out and becomes a little spicier as it aerates. Superb.

Bright cherry red with a hint of brick at the wide, pale rim. Relatively simple fruit flavours after the 2001. Hint of cherry with some sweet candied violets. Sweet and light and flirtatious with a kick of acidity. Sprightly and zesty. Again, that fan of flavours on the finish – cherries and mulberries. Very very long. Bright fruit – much more forthcoming than the 2001. Seems at first a little simple but opens up in the glass to be thoroughly convincing. (JR)