2012 - Domaine Robert Chevillon, Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains

A very fresh if subdued, even brooding nose features notes of both red and dark currants, game, earth and a hint of humus. There is outstanding size, weight and punch to the big-bodied and very serious flavors that possess fine mid-palate concentration as well as markedly firm tannins on the strikingly long and complex finish. This is very Vaucrains.

Black cherry and rich chocolatey oak on the nose. Darker in fruit character than the Les Saint-Georges, showing a distinctly musky wildness to its flavors of black raspberry and bitter chocolate. Hugely ripe and sweet but nicely leavened by ripe, harmonious acidity. Finishes saline and soil-driven, with serious but sweet tannins to support a graceful evolution in bottle. I marginally prefer the Saint-Georges and Cailles today for their higher-pitched aromatics but this is a big boy.

The 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains is comparatively muted on the nose at the moment compared to Chevillon’s fellow 2012: reluctant stony aromas emerging with time, hints of briary and damp autumn woodland. Ditto the palate that is obdurate, structured and masculine. It grips the mouth tightly, offers up sous-bois and dark summer fruit that dally with intense mineral notes on the brittle, pointed finish. This is most broody premier cru from this address at present, but it will be intriguing to witness its development in bottle.