Lots of grilled meat, smoke and ripe fruit. Rich and decadent. Medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Layered and juicy for the Clos des Mouches. Better after 2022.

The 2017 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches is showing beautifully from bottle, wafting from the glass with an inviting bouquet of ripe red berries, orange rind, warm spices and subtle hints of coniferous forest floor. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and beautifully harmonious, with the same suave structuring tannins that I identified from barrel, succulent acids and a long, fragrant finish. This is a Clos des Mouches that positively caresses the palate, and it will offer a broad drinking window.

The 2017 Beaune Clos des Rouches Rouge 1er Cru, picked September 4–7, contains a little more whole cluster fruit this year – around 30%, according to Véronique Drouhin. Sensual, ripe red cherry, cranberry and subtle bergamot tea aromas gently unfold in the glass. The palate is well balanced with supple tannin, good substance, veins of white pepper and even a very slight flintiness toward a finish that lingers in the mouth. This shows very good potential, although it will benefit from three or four years in bottle.

Despite being in its infancy, there is a lot to love about this already: perhaps the nose is reticent, but the palate has beautiful crunchy cherry and cranberry fruit with just a touch of black olive on the finish. There's dark chocolate and lovely hedgerow notes too, giving plenty of interest beyond fruit. Certainly not at its best just yet, but full of promise. (RH)