2009 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard, Vosne-Romanee Premier Cru, Aux Malconsorts 1x750ml

Vinous 92+

Good medium red. Reticent but highly complex nose combines redcurrant, dried spices, coffee, milk chocolate and earth; smells rich and mellow. Large-scaled and weighty, with huge volume for premier cru. Mocha, graphite and oak notes currently overshadow primary pinot fruits. Finishes tight and rather introverted, with a touch of aggressive austerity to the strong tannins. Cathiard takes the fact that the wine is very closed now as a sign that it will age well, but I wonder if there’s enough verve here to outlive the tannins. Still, this wine would appear to need a decade of cellaring. [Stephen Tanzer, 01/03/2012]