2016 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Les Chaumes

The 2016 Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes 1er Cru has impressive presence on the nose – pressed flower mixed with cranberry, bay leaf and damp undergrowth. The palate is crisp and fresh on the entry, superb symmetry and focus with convincing brightness on the finish. This articulates the Premier Cru beautifully.

(vinified with 50% whole clusters): Good dark red; the deepest yet of these '16s. Musky red berries, flint, earth and a meaty nuance on the soil-driven nose. Fat, full and sweet; perhaps a bit sauvage in a high-pH way but boasts lovely palate presence. This rather saline, slightly leathery wine has the body to support its spine of tannins, as well as more complexity and less pepper-and-herb character than the foregoing samples.

Offering up notes of baking chocolate, dark berries and flowers, the 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes is medium to full-bodied, ample and expansive, framed by firm, chewy tannins that will need some time in bottle to resolve. It's one of the more rustic wines in the cellar this year.