2016 Bouchard Pere et Fils, Corton Grand Cru

(these high-altitude vines produced a normal crop in 2016): Moderately saturated dark red. Sexy if slightly reduced aromas of black raspberry, tarte au prune and game, with some new oak showing. Very rich, dense and pliant, conveying a distinctly relaxed quality for the vintage. This plump, large-scaled grand cru finishes with superb restrained sweetness, noteworthy finesse of tannins, and serious building length, with its lightly saline black raspberry fruit complemented by an almost chocolatey ripeness. An extremely promising vintage for this wine.

The 2016 Corton Grand Cru offers cranberry and crushed strawberry scents on the nose, touches of petrichor and flint in the background, focused and almost steely in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and plenty of tightly wound red fruit. It just tapers towards the finish when you wish it would fan out, and it does fade after 10 minutes in the glass. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.