2016 Chambertin Grand Cru Henri Boillot

(near the very top of the vineyard and atypically, the rows are planted North-South; also only one barrel produced in 2016). A less expressive if much more sauvage nose reflects notes of underbrush, earth, various wild dark berries and soft but not invisible wood. As intense as the flavors of the Bèze are, those of the Chambertin are even more so and they're more powerful and mineral-driven as well if not quite as refined as the explosively long finish. I would underscore that this is so stony that the mouth feel is akin to rolling a tiny pebble around in your mouth. However, I would also underscore that just like the Bèze, this too is a 'buy and forget you own it" wine. 2036+

(made via fermentation intégrale in a single new barrel and aging in the same barrique): Reticent, rather cool scents of black cherry and licorice; I might have picked this blind as Clos Vougeot. Then tactile and imploded but without any rough edges; quite penetrating and youthfully medicinal but with a sexy sweetness that carries the flavors of dark fruits, minerals, spices and menthol. This wine expands dramatically in the mouth, ultimately showing outstanding volume. Finishes with outstanding rising length and very suave tannins, with virtually no sign of the new oak. Guillaume Boillot noted that he gets an intensification of the small uncrushed berries in a closed environment--i.e., a new barrique--by infusion, as all he does is gently turn the barrel. He added that the total cuvaison time can be almost twice as long as his wines made in traditional cuves.