1999 Trapet Pere et Fils, Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru

This bottle of 1999 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru came direct from the domaine. It has a very youthful bouquet that, even accounting for provenance, could scarcely be believed, offering vivacious scents of blackberry, raspberry coulis and a touch of camphor, and gradually taking on a quite medicinal personality. The palate is beautifully balanced with tart red berry fruit supported by succulent tannins, one of the tropes of the 1999 vintage. What makes this Latricières so great is the pitch-perfect acidity from start to finish. Fresh as a daisy after 20 years. Sublime. Tasted at Otto's restaurant in London.

Trapet's 1999 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru is showing superbly, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of smoky dark berries, baking chocolate, black truffles and rich soil tones. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with fine concentration, lively acids and a long, precise finish. This Latricières is a real success.

Bright ruby-red. Sauvage, rather cool aromas of black cherry and animal fur. Rather subdued in the mouth and closed in on itself; hints at menthol and spices. Conveys a sense of strong soil tone but is not yet expressing itself. The tannins here are also rather tough, and seem to clash with the wine acids.