2017 - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques, Armand Rousseau

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a bright and youthful nose. Fine delineation with exuberant dark berry fruit, this still needs more bottle age to subsume the oak. Wonderful redcurrant, cranberry notes develop, with orange blossom hints. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins and exquisite balance, yet it clams up toward the finish. Huge potential, but it needs time in bottle. Tasted blind at the Wallace brothers' Xmas dinner.

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques is being matured in 80% new oak, and it was the one wine in the cellar that was quite strongly marked by its time in barrel when I tasted it. Behind the prominent framing of cedary oak lurks a pretty bouquet of red and black berry fruit, orange rind, rich soil tones and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, tangy and open-knit with a vanillin-inflected finish. I suspect that the final assemblage will be more integrated than the single barrel, but in its structure and overall profile, this looks to be reminiscent of Rousseau's 2007 Clos Saint-Jacques.

They have been waiting for 10 years to replant but can’t bring themselves to uproot the old vines. Still couldn’t bring themselves to replant this year when they saw the grapes. 80–90% new oak. This is prettily fragrant with red cherry entwined with something more stony. So beautiful on the nose. How can fermented Pinot grapes produce an aroma like this? This is so refined and full of emotion – vibrant and addictive. This is charming beyond Charmes. Very, very fine texture and perfect freshness to complete a perfect whole. (JH)