This wine was 100% destemmed and aged in 40% new oak barrels. As I noted when I originally reviewed it (it rated a 89-92 in Issue #111), this is a wine for those who prefer Vosne's elegance over Nuits' structure. Medium-to-dark ruby-colored, it reveals a delightful nose of beautifully ripened blueberries and blackberries intermingled with Asian spices. This soft, oily-textured, seductive, medium-to-full-bodied and elegant wine offers plums, blueberries, and stone-like flavors in its supple, yet structured character. It is one of the rare first-rate wines I have tasted from this backward vintage that is forward enough to be drunk in the near term (it should be noted, however, that the bottle I tasted had been open for three hours prior to my trying it). Anticipated maturity: now-2006.

Intense, with cassis, cranberry, blueberry, tar and cherry flavors. Starts out crisp, but smoothed by sophisticated oak treatment, it turns sophisticated and round on the palate, ending with a smoky, ripe finish. Well made. Try after 2000. -PM