A deep ruby colour. A lovely elegant nose with blackberry, violets and oyster shells. This belies a very tannic, concentrated palate, one of the few 2002's that is a vin de garde. Spicy with black pepper notes. Give it a generation to reach its peak. Tasted January 2004.

“Its terroir immensely benefited from the dryness of the vintage,” said Grivot while serving his outstanding 2002 Clos Vougeot. Aromatically, this bold wine reveals loads of spicy red cherries. On the palate it is wonderfully sweet, velvety-textured, and extroverted. Copious quantities of red cherries, spices, candied raspberries and earth envelope this beauty’s ripe tannin. It will be delicious relatively young and should age extremely well. Projected maturity: 2007-2020. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

Wine Advocate June, 2004

“Its terroir immensely benefited from the dryness of the vintage,” said Grivot while serving his outstanding 2002 Clos Vougeot. Aromatically, this bold wine reveals loads of spicy red cherries. On the palate it is wonderfully sweet, velvety-textured, and extroverted. Copious quantities of red cherries, spices, candied raspberries and earth envelope this beauty’s ripe tannin. It will be delicious relatively young and should age extremely well. Projected maturity: 2007-2020.

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Deep ruby-red. Pure aromas of black cherry, mint, licorice and flowers; shows an almost medicinal austerity. Then almost shockingly fat, sweet, concentrated and rich, with impressive volume and lovely lift. The tannins are firm but not tough, and the finishing flavors really saturated the palate. One of GrivotÂ’s Clos Vougeot parcels is at the bottom of the slope, next to the route nationale, but this normally weaker portion of the cru brought density to the blend in 2002.

Ripe, sweet, gamy and very earthy pinot fruit aromas blend into mouth coating, suave, deep and impressively scaled and concentrated flavors that display plenty of power and a certain textured chewy quality on the explosively long but austere back end. Terrific quality with superb underlying material.

Seems rather light after the Damoy Chambertin! Lots of acid and tannin and very solid. Will come right in the end but it's still embryonic. (JR)