The 2008 Echezeaux comes from a parcel in Rouges du Bas whose fruit Meo says always permits easy extraction of color and flavor, so that one has to be careful not to overdo it, and he usually performs more pre-fermentative, “cold” extraction here than in some other cuvees, especially in a vintage with high skin-to-juice ratio and demanding triage as was the case with 2008. The smoky; resinous; medicinally herbal aromatic overlay to confitured black fruits here has its counterpart on the palate in oily texture, palpable pungency, and sheer viscosity. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and cocoa powder heighten the sense of finishing sweetness, but at the same time there is a satisfying retention of primary fruit juiciness as well as stony and saline mineral inflections, all of which enhance the wine’s complexity and invigoration. Another almost thickly-rich and forceful Pinot, this is likely to polarize tasters. I anticipate it will hold up will for 12-15 years if not longer.

---

Show more

---

---

Show less

---