2018 Joseph Drouhin, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru

Aromas of ripe wild berries, plums, dark chocolate and rich soil tones introduce the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, a medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping wine that's gourmand and velvety, its sweet core of fruit framed by fine, powdery tannins. This is a blend from Champonnet, Craipillot, La Bossière and Les Varoilles (which will enable readers to identify two of Drouhin's sources).

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru has a tightly wound nose at first, eventually opening to reveal brambly red fruit mixed with cedar and black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins. Easygoing and no doubt eventually an approachable Gevrey Premier Cru, manifesting a little more grip and bite toward the finish compared to, say, the Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru. Fine.