Reflecting a new addition to the Drouhin domaine, their 2008 Savigny-les-Beaune Fournaux offers lovely sweetness of fresh dark cherry and a silken texture, finishing with lift and refreshment as well as persistence. Black tea smokiness, brown spices, and the bitterness of cherry pit offer satisfying counterpoint to the fruit. In 2009, there is an estate wine from the little-known Clos des Godeaux, higher up on the Pernand side of Savigny. “2008 was very slow in doing its malolactic – which was good, and ended up with a pretty lively impression of acidity” remarked Veronique Boss-Drouhin, “and I think the wines will be slow to evolve in bottle, as well.” Numerous cuvees were still in tank or barrel when I visited in March, which constitutes an unusually late schedule at this address. The 2007s, by contrast, were bottled even earlier than normal, most at age 12 months. In 2008, a 15-25% share of stems and whole clusters was included in the fermenting vat for the Clos des Mouches and for most of the Drouhin grand crus, whereas in 2007 that degree of vendange entier was practically the rule across the entire Drouhin range (by no means all of which I tasted).Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770