The 2012 Clos de Vougeot is one the most polished and refined wines readers will taste from this site, the largest Grand Cru in the Côte de Nuits. All of the elements of the Grivot house style come together in a wine that impresses for its harmony and total class. Graphite, pencil shavings, violets and menthol all flesh out in a brilliant, chiseled Burgundy that hits all the right notes. The 2012 finishes with vibrant, saline minerality, hints of dried rose petals and fabulous energy. Readers who can find the Clos Vougeot should not hesitate. It is magnificent. Grivot owns two hectares in Clos Vougeot, an enormity by Burgundian standards.

Dark red. Reticent but pure aromas of raspberry and crushed rock. Silky and sappy on entry, then suave and sharply delineated in the middle, conveying an impression of vigor to its perfumed flavors of dark fruits, minerals and noble herbs. Perfectly integrated ripe acidity contributes finesse. This very sophisticated Clos Vougeot delivers a compelling combination of gras and vibrancy. Really stains the palate and echoes on the aftertaste, with the firm tannins buried in fruit. A beauty.

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru from Etienne Grivot has a fine bouquet with ebullient red cherry and raspberry fruit, plenty of wild strawberry and white pepper notes. It is sophisticated and very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe red fruit laced with soy and Provençal herbs, even a suggestion of fennel, fanning out gently on the finish to complete a very satisfying Clos de Vougeot. No surprise when I discovered the identity of the grower.

Reductive, slightly stinky nose. Lots of dark fruit. Forthright and powerful. Strong-armed. Impressive, but not yet nuanced. (RH)