2007 Gevrey Chambertin Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes

Bachelet’s 2007 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux is tight and bright in a manner not so usual for its vintage – and which Bachelet says reflects post-bottling shut-down – but as far as I am concerned welcome for its sense of energy and promise of potential. Aromas of blackberry, fennel, and peony lead to a palate-staining presentation of dark berries, bittersweet herbal concentrate, and underlying humus and stone. While firm, the tannins here are fine, and there is an incipient sense of silken texture to my tongue. I would expect this to be among those relatively few 2008s that merit consideration for more than a decade of cellaring. Unsurprisingly, in Bachelet’s tiny, shallow, and frigid cellar, his 2008s did not complete malo until September. They were in barrel about to be prepped for bottling, when I visited him in late February, making it the ideal time in his view for tasting them. (And Bachelet’s tiny volume makes it relatively easy to accurately approximate the final blend of any wine.) He has always been adamantly opposed to showing his wines for 18-24 months after they are bottled, insisting that in his experience they always suffer in comparison with their performance from barrel as well as with how they will taste 3-4 years after bottling. He did relent and let me taste one 2007 from bottle during my visit, and it was impressive. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet; fax 011-333-80-24-29-70

Deep red with ruby highlights. Blackberry, licorice and mint on the nose, along with a medicinal reserve. Dense, sweet and serious, with excellent creamy depth for the year. I like the balance of serious tannins and chocolatey ripeness.

Planted 1920. Sappy/savoury and more structure than the Vieilles Vignes. Something wood-like (not woody) about it. Fresh and fruity on the palate with good fine structure. Good frame – sinewy. Slightly fizzy, so clean. (JR)