2009 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru

Cathiard made a point of saying that he carried out a triage at harvest-time in 2009. "There were a lot of green berries but no rot," he told me, pointing out that some of his fellow growers did not do a selection. "The 2009s will be ready to drink with pleasure in their youth. They're perfect for the restaurants, but I don't know whether they will be for long aging." Cathiard started harvesting on September 12, bringing in fruit with potential alcohol ranging from 12.5% to 13.5% and chaptalizing some of his cuvees very lightly. I found a few of these 2009s to be very oaky; it remains to be seen how the wood element will be absorbed during the final months of elevage. Except for the Bourgogne, the wines were still on their lees, unracked. At the top levels, these '09s are wonderfully ripe and aromatic, but the 2008 vintage is more spectacular in the context of its vintage. (A Becky Wasserman selection; importers include Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; Veritas Imports, Beverly Hills, CA; and Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, LA)