Musigny, Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier 2008

A floral, spicy and brilliantly layered nose offers up wonderfully fine gradations of red pinot fruit, violet, lavender and rose petal plus warm earth aromas that complement to perfection the rich, full and powerful flavors that are generous yet precise on the tautly muscled, intense, linear and pure finish that explodes on the palate. The sense of vibrancy is almost palpable and this is wonderfully harmonious, in fact the word Zen comes to mind. This should be great in time.

Given that there is as usual for this bottling only a barrique and a half of Roumier's 2008 Musigny, neither barrel is new. This was vinified entirely vendange entier, and had been bottled for only three weeks when I tasted it in February. Haunting, high-toned scents of kirsch, rowan, lily, heliotrope, and cinnamon lead to a bright, searching palate impression piquantly tinged with cherry pit, brown spices, and underlain with dark forest floor emanations. Ultra-fine tannins and a deep, umami-rich meaty finishing savor take this startlingly far from the "fruit syrup" expression of de Vogue's equally impressive Musigny of the vintage. But along with all of the best 2008s, this displays terrific - in this instance low-toned, reverberative - finishing energy.