The 2011 Vaucrains from Domaine Chevillon is a superb example of the vintage, delivering a deep and very youthful blend of red and black cherries, plums, gamebirds, raw cocoa, a very minerally expression of dark soil, nutskins and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure, with a sappy core of fruit, an outstanding signature of soil, firm, ripe tannins, exceptional focus and balance and stunning mineral drive on the very, very long and classy finish. Stunning young Vaucrains. (Drink between 2025-2075)

This is very reserved, indeed to the point where the nose is borderline taciturn and requires considerable swirling to reveal the ripe and intensely earthy nose of animale inflected dark berry fruit. The concentrated, powerful and muscular broad-shouldered flavors ooze with an abundance of dry extract that actually causes the very firm tannins to appear more civilized than they really are. Despite the reserve of the nose the austere finish is explosive and the length is excellent. ♥