2014 Richebourg

The 2014 Richebourg Grand Cru simply has developed a beautiful bouquet now that this is in bottle: very intense already with fresh red cherry, strawberry and briary aromas, actually clamming up a little in the glass. The palate is nicely structured, grainy in texture, saline, lightly spiced, gently building to quite an assertive finish. All the components are in place for a impressive Richebourg, but as usual, I would give it a decade in bottle so that it can really show what it can do. Tasted November 2016.

(Liger-Belair bottled most of his top 2014s in September of 2016; this fruit was entirely destemmed): Full medium red. A baby on the nose but already a knockout, offering scents of raspberry, cranberry, red licorice, spices and salty minerality lifted by a suggestion of orange zest. At once elegant and powerful, conveying uncommon verve to its raspberry and floral flavors. Finishes with outstanding sappy lift and length, but this wine is also easy to taste today!

Intense nose and still pretty severe and jagged on the palate. Trying hard – perhaps too hard? Unusually for a 2014 there are drying tannins on the end. Severe. (JR)