Producer note: Corinne Rousseau calls 2002 a "perfect vintage for Burgundy. There's ripe fruit, balance, perfect ripeness of the tannins and good concentration. It combines the richness of 1999 with the acidity and elegance of 1996; it's a complete vintage. We didn't have to chaptalize any of our wines, not even at the villages level. At the moment, the 2002s are less forward and expressive than the '99s were at the same time but there's an underlying tenderness to the wines and I suspect they will open quickly once they're in bottle. The fruit characteristics are interesting as well and here at the domaine, the 2002s have almost exclusively black fruit aromas. The wines are perhaps less gifted at the level of terroir than the '01s but are certainly superior to the '99s in this respect. By contrast, the '02s are definitely richer than their '01 counterparts and every bit as pure. In short, 2002 is a vintage I like a lot". For readers who may not be aware, the oak regimen chez Rousseau varies considerably, with the Gevrey up though the Mazis being aged in 2 year old wood, the Clos de la Roche and Ruchottes in 15% new wood and the "big three" in 100% new wood. The present plan is to bottle as usual in July though some of the lower level wines might be bottled in May, depending on how the fruit matures. (Frederick Wildman and Sons, New York, NY; Berry Brothers & Rudd, The Wine Society, Heyman, Barwell & Jones, O.W. Loeb and Justerini & Brooks, all UK). Tasting note: Like night and day between this and the Mazis as here there is much more weight, size, earth and power with a much firmer tannic spine plus an edgier, more complex finish. This is still a bit awkward but it should benefit from another 6 months in cask. This too could be the best Rousseau Clos de la Roche in several vintages.

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