2013 Camille Giroud, Chambertin Grand Cru

Bright, dark red. Cool, highly nuanced aromas of raspberry, mint, coffee, licorice and crushed stone. Then lush, sweet and seamless in the mouth, maintaining the fresh but ripe impression. Wonderfully plush and utterly without rough edges, with flavors of red raspberry and cool minerality lifted by a seductive floral element. (This fruit is all from the Clos de Bèze side of Chambertin, right above Leroy's holding, according to David Croix.) A superb cold version of Chambertin 2013 but not particularly austere owing to the wine's seamless texture and noble tannins.

Things are a little bit better in terms of volume with the 2013 Chambertin of which Giroud produced three barrels. Today, tannin, acidity and structure inform an embryonic Chambertin that needs serious time to fully meld together. I find the sense of energy here compelling.

The 2013 Chambertin Grand Cru has a very intense but broody bouquet, one where you have to really delve your nose into the glass. There are scents of blackberry and briary developing in the glass. The palate is quite precocious with intense dark cherry and bilberry fruit struck through with a silver bead of acidity. This still feels a little compact and linear toward the finish, although the focus and persistence should see it repay cellaring. I would be inclined to afford this several years. Excellent.

Simple, sweet berry fruit; decent palate balance. A very nice Gevrey – but not true grand cru. (AH)