Vosne-Romanée "Aux Brûlées" 2001 Michel Gros

Contributor Cobbie returns to the fold after a 12 month honeymoon took him away. Brick red and an attractive viscosity. Quite shy at first, but a delicate dark muddle emerges - bitter cherry chocolate, blood orange, assam tea and traces of redcurrant and a medicinal hint, eucalyptus, perhaps. Silky across the palette, powerful and peppery with wonderful fruit concentration which intensifies over time. Less macho in the end than one might have expected, more Carla Bruni than Cherie Blair. [I think Tom should listen to her awful music and reconsider implicating France's first lady in Burgundy - ed].