2005 Romanee St Vivant

Fewer than three full barrels made of this. Lowkey nose of this wine about to be bottled. Opened up in the glass to something quite different from any of the wines tasted before – there’s an element that’s almost roasted. Sweet start then sumptuous and silky. Perhaps this just needs time? Fine and not too earthy although not explosively wonderful yet. From a plot of vines planted by Sylvain Cathiard’s grandfather. (JR)

From the former Thomas-Moillard holdings, the Dujac 2005 Romanee St.-Vivant offers a superb nose of purple plum, black raspberry, flowers, tar, game, clove and star anise. Soothing and sweetly-fruity like the Chambertin and with similarly integrated tannins – here in a positively creamy, palpably thick matrix – it truly stains the palate with the intricacy, clarity and indelibleness of a master tattoo artist. This Pinot possesses a remarkably energetic sense of flavor interplay, elegance, and lift for one so viscous and densely-, almost digitally-packed with flavor information. The already rich array of crus at Domaine Dujac has recently been augmented on two fronts. The purchase (along with de Montille) of the Societe Civile du Clos de Thorey (Thomas-Moillard) has brought them a raft of choice parcels including three new grand cru holdings (for a staggering total of eight). Meanwhile, they have expanded their negociant arm (with control over harvest and green harvest a prerequisite) to supplement in particular their volumes of village-level wine. (Those wines – labeled “Dujac Fils & Pere” – are signified in the above listing with “FP”. In fact, due to a legal technicality, the 2005 vintage wines from the properties newly acquired by the domaine – but not subsequent vintages – will also read “Fils & Pere” rather than “Domaine”.) Even with California-trained oenologist Diana Seysses (nee Snowden) joining her husband Jeremy and in-laws Jacques and Alec, and with a new winery (though at the old address) I wonder at how they are able to keep up with the magnitude of their responsibilities. Yet despite so many parcels and vines new to them this year, the results are consistently outstanding and at times astounding. Much of the vinification – increasingly as one goes up the hierarchy of crus – was of whole clusters. Malos finished (finally) by November and the wines were bottle in December and January. Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel.(415) 491 4724