2005 Bernard Dugat-Py, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 1x750ml

Vinous 95

Saturated, bright ruby-red. Flamboyantly aromatic, wild nose features blackberry, meat, licorice, minerals, espresso and sexy oak. Like liquid silk on the palate, but with great concentration to the perfumed flavors of dark fruits, game and violet. Wonderfully classy grand cru that finishes with superb length and lift and fine-grained, utterly seamless tannins. Seems a far cry from Dugat’s more extractive, chunkier wines of the late ’80s and early ’90s. This obviously got a very soft bottling, without fining or filtration. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/03/2008]

Robert Parker 96-97

Collectively, Bernard Dugat’s 2005 grand cru collection — likely to be bottled in late Spring — represents a remarkable achievement. From vines of mixed age (one third of them in Mazoyeres), the 2005 Charmes-Chambertin (of which there will be around 175 cases) is remarkable for its polish and creaminess of texture yet at the same time freshness of pure, palate-staining fruit. Red and black currant are wreathed in musky flowers and laced with walnut oil, orange liqueur, ineffable spices, licorice, salt and chalk. The subtlety and mystery of flavors and texture and sheer length on exhibit will leave you shaking your head. (Dugat’s 2004 Charmes, incidentally, offered a clarity, palate-staining intensity and ageworthiness that few red Burgundies of that vintage can match.) It should be atwenty-year wine. [04/01/2007]

Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027