2013 Joseph Drouhin, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Les Cazetiers

Medium red. Wild dark berries, licorice, violet and game on the nose, plus some high-toned suggestions of spicy oak and a note of graphite minerality. More concentrated and delineated than the village wine, but a bit musclebound too, showing a medicinal quality to the flavors of black cherry, licorice and mint. In a distinctly dark fruit style, with a firm tannic spine calling for patience.

Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 Gevrey Chambertin 1Er Cru Cazetiers has a refined and quite floral bouquet, nicely integrated here, pure with fine mineralité. The palate is fresh and vibrant, light on its feet -- what you might call a nimble Gevrey! There is an engaging poise and tension here with copious red cherry and strawberry fruit on the finish that is certainly on the oaky side. That said, this is an absolute delight, though I did notice that it lost a little substance in the glass. Tasted September 2016.

Destemmed, 23 days' maceration, 16 months in oak. Deeper fruited and smells more oaky than the village Gevrey. Cherries and vanilla but not at all confected. More fruit in the middle than the village wine but still on the leaner side. Finessing the vintage limitations. Slim but not thin. (JH)