2000 Echézeaux Grand Cru

Grivot described his 2000s as more sophisticated than the 2001s. The grape skins in 2000 were riper than those of 2001, but at the same time the 2000s managed to retain better acidity than the '97s." He went on: The 2001s are fresh, fruit-driven wines, a bit like the '78s. It was necessary to be prudent with the extraction in 2001 due to the moderate level of skin maturity." Grivot noted that he's been getting generally larger crops in recent years due to the warmer winters. He normally does a green harvest in his young vines before leaving for his summer vacation, then green harvests in the later-flowering parcels during the second half of August. The 2001s had finished their malos in September and were still on their lees, unracked, in November. Grivot prepared representative blends for me to taste.

"Two thousand is a year of great ripeness, but with better acidity and freshness than 1997," notes Etienne Grivot. "1997 was the first hugely ripe year that I vinified, and I was able to learn from the experience. I picked earlier in 2000 because I don't like aromas of surmaturite " Grivot told me he'd rather pick pinot noir at 12.5% potential alcohol than at 13.5%; in the very ripe harvest of 2000, his levels of potential alcohol ranged from 12.7% all the way up to 14%. He noted that the 2000 vintage is especially good for "the severe terroirs like Clos Vougeot," an observation that was repeatedly shown to be accurate during my extensive barrel tastings in November. Following late malolactic fermentations, the 2000s were still on their lees, unracked, in early November. Fans of this domain wines will not be surprised by Grivot's admission that, since 1998, "I've been trying to make less introverted, less monolithic wines. I want to make more seductive, likable wines but without risking their aging potential." Indeed, Grivot maintains, one can drink the '99s any time due to their harmoniousness. They possess great material but they are also very sophisticated wines, with suave tannins.