2003 - Chambertin Grand Cru, Bernard Dugat-Py

(from 80-year-old vines; Dugat vinified whole clusters and did the punchdowns by hand) Deep ruby-red. Like a liqueur of griotte cherry on the nose, with notes of violet and eucalyptus; this is different from every other 2003 at this address. Large-scaled, rich and velvety but not especially sweet. Shows sound acidity and well-distributed tannins, with the chocolatey oak perfectly integrated with the wine's fruit. Offers great finesse and subtle persistence, with the minerality contributing to the wine's precision and thrust. Dugat says this parcel is planted at a very dense 14,000 vines to the hectare.

The 2003 vintage remains the hottest on record. While many 2003s have already fallen by the wayside, the best (typically from growers who cultivated their soils, favoring deeper, more resilient rooting systems, and who weren't on vacation when it was time to harvest) have aged surprisingly gracefully. The 2003 Chambertin Grand Cru falls into the latter category. The year's sunshine is evident in its rich crème de cassis fruit, intermingled with nuances of licorice, espresso roast and loamy soil, and it's full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep, unctuous profile but no signs of oxidation or fatigue. This is a very strong effort that would likely appear more classical if enjoyed on its own, without comparison with less-extreme years.