(BH91-94 points) A more expressive and notably spicier nose offers up notes of anise and clove together with the quite ripe red and black pinot fruit aromas that precede the rich yet finely detailed flavors that display a touch of minerality on the delicious, textured, balanced and strikingly long finish. Impressive.

90+ The From the iron-rich Rouge du Dessus sector at the upper-elevation margins of this cru, Lachaux’s 2008 Echezeaux is saturated with alkaline and smoky mineral character adumbrated even in the nose, and which – taken together with formidable tannins – makes for a relatively austere performance. That said, a complex, concentrated amalgam of red raspberry, brown spices, blond tobacco and game is not to be under-estimated, and I’m hoping that this is another instance of bottle shock temporarily hardening the tannins. In any case, this is going to demand patience of any who choose to cellar it. - David Schildknecht