Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru, 2005

Good deep red. Austere but highly complex nose offers dark plum, smoked meat, minerals, spices and earth, along with a whiff of cinders. Then almost surprisingly fat and sweet, with outstanding volume and solidity to its highly complex flavors of black cherry, brown spices, mocha, dried flowers and minerals. A huge wine for this cellar yet it remains light on its feet. The finish brings a touch of minty medicinal austerity and building tannins, suggesting that this impressively powerful yet classy wine will require a good dozen years of cellaring.