Bright, full red-ruby. Musky raspberry, smoke and licorice on the nose. More tightly wound than the Cent-Vignes, with dark berry and black cherry flavors complicated by bitter chocolate, menthol and minerals. Finishes with fine tannins and very good length. A more medicinal and backward wine, in need of at least four or five years of cellaring.

The 2005 Volnay Taillepieds (of which there will be around 175 cases) offers an impressive account of this great site, leading with notes of incense, fresh black raspberry, and high-toned maraschino, then comes to the palate with bloody raw meat character, crystalline black raspberry fruit, and a saturation of fine tannin. This really grips, with fascinating meat, mineral and fruit persistence. One slight concern is that a hint of heat not catch up with it. Readers are referred to Pierre Rovani’s report in Issue 160 for details on the acquisition of this house in 2002 by Ann Colgin and a group of Americans, and on Becky Wasserman’s directorial role. At only around 4,500 cases, 2005 will represent their largest production yet, “and we’ll stay small,” says young, manifestly-talented winemaker David Croix. Croix works intensively in the vineyard with most of his suppliers. He ages the wines largely in newly-purchased but once-used barrels, augmented by a low percentage of new casks. I tasted all of the wines immediately prior to their first racking which was late, explains Croix (despite malo-lactic fermentations early by 2005 standards), because the quality of the fruit deserved the enrichment and protection of long lees contact and a slightly reduced state. They will be bottled without filtration in March or April. Various Importers. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet; fax 011- 333-80-24-29-70.