The 2015 Corton-Pougets Grand Cru has a pretty bouquet of comely red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, pure and sensual, with pressed rose petal top notes. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, a taut line of acidity and good depth. Quite linear at the moment, but with aeration, the finish begins to gain weight and depth. This has very good potential - just as it showed in barrel. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Bright medium red. Deeply spicy perfume of raspberry, red cherry, cranberry, clove, smoke and minerals. At once plush and light on its feet, with savory minerality and complex earth tones adding interest to the medicinal black cherry, licorice and spice flavors. A serious vin de garde in the making, finishing with terrific reserve but also uncanny floral lift and grip for this very ripe vintage. The tannins are refined and harmonious. I suspect this very suave, sneakily concentrated wine will age slowly and gracefully. But even today it communicates a strong terroir quality.

Tank sample. Heady, sweet, ripe perfume then a broad spread of rather exotic ripe fruit. Hint of cough drop, but excellent drive and grip. (JR)