The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru is showing a lot of promise. The floral element that I noticed from barrel has become more accentuated now that the wine is in bottle and marries beautifully with the black cherry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. Just a little gaminess comes through with a fleshy finish that disguises the structure underneath. There is a pinch of cracked black pepper on the aftertaste. Excellent. - Neal Martin

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes was showing especially well, soaring from the glass with a lovely bouquet of cassis, dark berry preserve, baking chocolate and peonies. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with lively acids and a long, aromatic finish.

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru had not been racked or sulfured when I tasted it from barrel. It has a very pure black cherry, cassis and violet bouquet that seems to grow in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, a grainy texture, impressive depth and a mineral-driven, slightly saline finish that lingers in the mouth.

In hot vintages this site does not show the heat that much (13.2% approx). Barrel samples. Sample 1 : from a new barrel racked to a new barrel (thus not representative of the finished wine) Deep and rich in dark-red fruit. Peppery, spicy and creamy too. But a bit dry on the finish because of the new oak. Sample 2 : from a different barrel More open on the nose, still lovely dark and lifted fruit. More peppery. Juicier and more aromatic. Great finesse both in the fruit and the tannins. Super-elegant and while it has 2018’s characteristic dark fruit, it has 2017 freshness and finesse. (JH)