Unfurling in the glass with notes of raw cocoa, blackcurrants, sweet spices, vanilla pod and cedary oak, Rousseau's 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Village is medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with succulent acids and powdery structuring tannins, concluding with an expansive, lactone-inflected finish. It's deeper and richer than I perceived it to be when I tasted it 2018, but it's also surprisingly strongly marked by its time in barrel—especially since this cuvée sees no new oak.

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Village offers brambly red berry fruit on the nose, hints of crushed stone that percolate through with aeration. The palate is more cohesive and fleshier than the Clos du Château: tart red berry fruit, black pepper and a light sous-bois note on the finish. This should be approachable after two or three years. I find this a step ahead of the Clos du Château this year.

80% of parcels are in the clayey soils east of the village but the blend also includes Les Estournelles and Clos Prieur. Once their little patch of Craipillot is ready (grandma’s former potager), that will also be included. A little more spicy and darker fruited than the Clos du Château. Opens up to sour cherry. Real tangy intensity on the palate here. Super-smooth but unexpectedly concentrated on the palate. Chewy and rounded, deep and with great freshness. (JH)