2008 - Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles, Robert Chevillon

(racked in July) Deep, bright red. Superripe, complex nose melds berries, violet, damp earth and a whiff of balsamic vinegar. Wonderfully silky and suave on entry, then spicy and pure in the middle, with a very fresh black cherry flavor dominating underlying earth and floral notes. This spreads out impressively on the back end, with broad tannins saturating the palate.

Peat, wood smoke, leather, and soy in the nose of Chevillons’ 2008 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Cailles are joined and complimented by rich cherry and plum on the stubbornly gum-coating palate. A tart fruit skin edge; fruit pit piquancy; brown spices; chalky underpinnings; and saliva-inducing salinity all contribute to the invigoration and vibratory, lip-quivering intensity of a multi-faceted finish. There is certain handsome leanness here – bordering on austerity – but what a lot of energy as well! Lock some away for half a dozen years and expect it to perform impressively until at least age 18. Bertrand Chevillon reported the typically late, long malos of the 2008 vintage, and the Chevillon crus were not bottled until last spring – subsequent to my tastings of them, which took place in part assembled from tank and in part from representative selections of barrels. Interestingly, Chevillons report a normal crop level, stressing that vigilance and diligence in vine treatments made for a healthy crop. Most of the musts weighed-in between 12.5% and 13% potential alcohol and chaptalization was minimal. Bernard Chevillon compares his family’s 2008 with their 2001 –an underestimation, I suspect – and his 2007s with the less interesting, structured, fresh-fruited, or consistent 2000s, an analogy that strikes me as apt. (The Bourgogne and Les St.-Georges, incidentally, had been committed right down to the bottle chez Chevillon by the time I got ‘round to tasting 2007s, hence the absence of notes on those.) Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Bright mid crimson. Slightly funky nose. Solid fruit. Not much subtlety but a wine that makes an impact. Be careful to serve this pretty tannic wine not too cool. (JR)