2018 - Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts, Alain Hudelot-Noellat

Another great success this year is the 2018 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts, a brilliant cuvée in the making that bursts with aromas of cassis, cherries, smoked duck, dried flowers and rich soil tones. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and textural, with a multidimensional core of lavishly ripe but succulent fruit that entirely conceals the wine's structuring tannins. Readers who are unable to secure a few bottles of Hudelot-Noellat's Richebourg this year should consider consoling themselves with this Beaumonts, as the latter tastes in many respects like the former's junior sibling.

The 2018 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaumonts 1er Cru has a harmonious and pure bouquet with some quality new oak present, simpatico with the fruit. Black cherries, blueberry and just a touch of violet. The palate is medium-bodied with a sappy entry, very pure and sensual, disarmingly velvety in texture towards the finish, plush yet not overdone. This will be difficult to resist in its youth. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

This has more obvious freshness on the nose than some of the Hudelot-Noëllat 2018s though there is plenty of ripe fruit and a hint of vanilla on the nose. On the palate, rich, deep and fresh. Full in the mouth but balanced. Persistent too. (JH)