1998 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru

This is always a tricky cellar for barrel tasting, as the wines tend to show a firm tannic side early on and there relatively little sweetening influence of new oak. That said, I found a few of the lesser wines a bit wimpy and dilute, and lacking in flavor authority ("it was a very big harvest in Marsannay," Clair admits), but at the level of the estate's top crus these are scented, pure wines of subtlety and class. The '99s had been racked for the first time about two weeks prior to my visit. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

"The '98 vintage was completely heterogeneous," said Bruno Clair. "We picked Marsannay ten days before Savigny Dominode. Because of the intense heat in early August, which stressed the vines in some spots but not in others, there was no logic to the ripeness." Yields were very low, especially on hillside sites affected by the April frost. Following a trie in the vines and another selection in the cuverie, the domain, according to Clair, vinified perfectly clean fruit. Cellarmaster Philippe Brun compared the '98s to the estate's '93s, but said the new vintage has riper tannins and more gras. "And there's more to the wine in '98 than in '97, clearly more structure," he added. Just a few '98s had been racked in November following late malos; the rest were still on their lees. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)