Richebourg

A perfectly balanced medley of oak, spice and ripe blackberrys. Mineral nuances frame rich and opulent flavours which are supported by a tannic spine and very long length indeed.

This is a giant of a wine just waiting to come of age. For now the bouquet is quite discreet but the layers of flavour gradually emerge towards an immense finish, which demonstrates how great this wine will become in a decade or more.

The beautiful bouquet of this Richebourg Grand Cru from Thibault Liger-Belair brims with promise and on the palate there is a huge swelling of dark red fruit that is a real mouthful. It is too early to see the full detail and structure of this wine but the fruit, tannins and acidity are all in perfect harmony.

Glowing a brilliant ripe purple, the Richebourg has a very backward nose at first, which develops into an explosion of sumptuous, healthy fruit. It is far from over ripe, yet it gives everything. There is huge weight here, one or two black notes climbing in with the red and it is just simply an amazing wine whose great potential has scarcely yet developed. Much more backward than the Echezeaux at this stage at least, it is clearly a great wine in the making.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director This domaine continues to deliver exceptionally high quality wines and is surely now one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Vosne-Romanée. The harvest began on 31st August in 2011 and that is the earliest ever at this domaine. Etienne Grivot was happy to pick at 12 to 12.5%, seeing no value in waiting and losing acidity. The wines have a dramatic tension to them in youth and will certainly age exceptionally well.

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• 2011 was a relatively easy year in the vineyards for Thibault, as there were no problems with health. The main decision was the date to pick (from 5th September) which he chose by leaf colour as an indication of the end of the vine cycle. He employed very gentle vinification this year to keep the fruit fresh. Thibault has been moving towards and elegant style, a little bit away from the plumpness of his early wines. He manages this through shrewd judgement on the use of stems and particular attention to the type and toasting of wood to be used. He is especially proud of his ‘tartare’ barrels with minimum toasting.

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This is still tight at present but there is a huge explosion of fruit at the front, even though it is hidden at the back. The excellent finish shows real intensity and class.
Jasper Morris MW,Berrys' Burgundy Director

Glowing an alluring ruby purple colour, this Richebourg is showing very little on the nose, the fruit not yet ready to emerge from its cocoon. Although the flavours may not be fully apparent, the texture of the wine demonstrates its quality, with a coating of plush velvet covering the palate. The structural elements of acidity and tannin are present but submerged by the wealth of fruit. Two minutes after spitting an extraordinary perfume rises up. Tuck this infant away safely in the cellar for a number of years.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

There is a marvellous sense of energy in Thibault Liger-Belair’s 2010 wines, perhaps his finest vintage to date. This is a vintage where the wines express the characters of their terroirs very well. Thibault decided on a longer than usual vinification but with very little active extraction and fewer stems than in 2009. Where Thibault purchases grapes (Aloxe-Corton, Chambolle-Musigny) his team manages the vineyard work after the initial pruning.

Rich, glowing purple, with really vibrant heady red fruit, all tightly meshed. Explosive on the palate with a little touch of spice alongside the wealth of fruit. Pure and delicious.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

The vintage began here on 6th October, once again being short on quantity but with good qualitative potential. Thibault feels that the 2013s can take a long barrel ageing, perhaps up to 24 months. He is using fewer lees, but finer, in order to avoid too many reductive problems.

With a wealth of fruit in the rich cherry style of the vintage, this Richebourg Grand Cru is very detailed with fruit, oak and mineral acidity all in balance. An exceptionally persistent finish denotes its quality. This will certainly repay keeping.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)