2022 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1er Cru

Rouget was unusually chatty when I made my annual visit to the Domaine in Flagey-Echézeaux, answering in detail about the various strands of the Jayer family. In keeping with his late uncle Henri’s core tenet, everything is de-stemmed in this vintage after picking commenced on September 3. There is also comparatively higher use of new oak, 100%, mainly but not exclusively from François Frère for his top cuvées such as the Echézeaux and Cros Parantoux. Some give his wines short shrift, perhaps inevitably comparing them to those of Jayer. However, I have found more consistency in recent vintages, except in 2020, where I felt he picked too late. Here, there is a combination of opulence and refinement, so even where he has applied new oak, the caliber of the climats shines through.