2008 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru

Cathiard has a wonderfully pure set of 2008s in the works, with sexy dark fruit, floral and mineral flavors; racy but ripe acidity; and great finesse. This was one of the standout sets of '08s on my November tour. Cathiard told me that although there was very little rot, and although he picked with potential alcohol levels in the very healthy 12.8% to 13% range (he chaptalized lightly), he initially feared having wines with what he described as "negative acidity." He did a longer, softer vinification, with less pigeage than usual, and in the end the fresh acids only contribute to the definition and sappiness of the wines. Cathiard told me that his yields in 2008 were "normal" and as high as those of 2006-and higher than those of 2007, a year in which he waited to harvest and lost volume due to the dehydrating effect of the north wind. When I mentioned that some of his colleagues compared their 2007s to their 2000s, he ventured the opinion that the 2000s are more tender wines and that the 2007s, though they are "about finesse and fruit," have more acidity and will age longer. All the crus here are aged in 100% new barriques, and the 2008s had been sulfited two or three weeks prior to my visit. Except for the village Chambolle, they were slated to be bottled in April. (A Becky Wasserman selection; importers include Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; Veritas Imports, Beverly Hills, CA; and Wines Unlimited, New Orleans, LA)