1 | Wine | Burgundy, 95 or higher, 2008

"Sexy nose combines dark berries, smoked meat and minerals. Creamy, layered and deep, with terrific energy and penetration and a powerful impression of extract. Finishes broad, sweet and very long. Showing spectacularly today." 92-95 pts. Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Pungent red berry and mocha aromas are lifted by powerful crushed-stone minerality and complicated by an ineffable floral/earthy perfume. A real essence of 2008 on the palate, with outstanding sappy cut and penetration to the flavors of cherry, red berries, minerals and spice oil. The building finish spreads out inexorably to saturate the palate. Rigorous and stimulating: a wine of extraordinary complexity, energy and depth. This was one of my top 2008s from barrel a year ago and it's at least as impressive in bottle."-Stephen Tanzer

"Very ripe yet high-pitched aromas of wet stone, hawthorn and botanical herbs. Broad, silky and sweet, with a three-dimensional quality to the superrich yet sharply delineated flavors of crushed stone, violet and lavender. Perhaps best today on the superb rising finish, where the wine's compelling vibrancy carries through. Another wine of great dimension. Lardiere used 60% new oak here, but the wood element is fully integrated and virtually invisible. Showing spectacularly well today, perhaps due in part to the fact that this wine finished its fermentation early." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The 2008 Chambertin-Clos de Beze is an intensely floral, cool wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers, minerals and menthol. It is naturally less obvious than the 2009, but just as convincing. A textured, sweet and multi-dimensional finish rounds things out in style. The Beze is quite a bit more open than the Bonnes Mares, but it nevertheless needs time, and probably lots of it."