2005 - Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Lignier-Michelot

(this holding, mostly from vines planted in 1990, yielded 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2005, according to Lignier) Deep, bright ruby-red color. Highly nuanced, very pure nose combines briary black cherry, brown spices and licorice, with soil-inflected pepper, dried flowers and eucalyptus. Suave on entry, then complex, tactile and intensely flavored in the middle palate, showing more finesse of texture than the Faconnieres and a juicy core of dark fruits. This mounts and gains in thickness toward the back, finishing with firm tannins and lovely subtle complexity. Lignier says he would wait eight years to drink the crus in 2005.