The 2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts Cuvée Christiane 1er Cru contains a little more new oak than the regular cuvée, though it is also 100% whole cluster fruit. It has a supremely well defined bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, crushed stone and wet limestone aromas that seem to gain intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, impressive depth, silky and smooth in texture with a light spiced and intense finish that lingers in the mouth. This is an exceptionally fine Cuvée Christian that should offer 20 to 30 years of pleasure.

The 2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts Cuvée Christianne is very promising, revealing a complex bouquet of sweet dark berries, rose petal, exotic spices, orange rind and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with a deeper, more complete profile than the regular Malconsorts, framed by firm but powdery tannins and underpinned by bright acids. This will need some time.

Barrel sample, already racked. Parcel that touches La Tâche and has the same terroir. 55% new oak. 100% whole bunch. Mid crimson. A dusty mineral note initially, then restrained stony dark fruit. A step up in intensity compared with the straight Malconsorts but still that bone-dry dark finesse to the texture, finer still in its precision, and less chewy. Incredibly elegant in structure and so tender. Long and ultra-sophisticated. (JH)