2012 Domaine Jean Grivot, Richebourg Grand Cru

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Jean Grivot has a slight reduction on the nose, but underneath there is plenty of intense black and red fruit, touch of dried blood and black pudding. It does repay several minutes aeration, gaining more and more clarity. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannin, moderate balance but it attenuates slightly towards the finish. There is a regal grand cru here but it is obdurate and backward - which is excusable for this vineyard. This is simply magnificent to its very core.

Grivot's 2012 Richebourg is simply magnificent. Sadly, there are just three barrels (instead of the typical 5) to go around. At its most profound, Burgundy is a wine of contrasts. A wine that can be incredibly powerful yet light on its feet, which pretty much sums up the Richebourg. Bright dark red/blue fruit, sweet spices and flowers ring out, but it is the wine's intense, piercing minerality that stands out most. Readers who can find the 2012 are in for a thrilling drinking experience.

Grivot made an assemblage of the three barrels in my glass. Bright, deep red. Slightly reduced aromas of purple fruits, purple flowers and crushed rock. Wonderfully fine-grained but extremely backward, showing little in the way of easy sweetness today. In fact, this utterly primary wine is locked up tight and dominated by its structure. Most impressive right now on its slowly building, extremely intense finish, which displays outstanding precision and perfume. This will need a good decade in the cellar to express itself. "But more generous wines like the Bossieres, Boudots and even Echezeaux will be great in two years with a piece of beef," says Grivot.