(JG93-94+ points) The 2012 Drouhin Clos de Vougeot has been bottled two week prior to our tasting on the 14th, but was showing beautifully and this is clearly a great vintage for this consistently excellent wine. The beautiful bouquet soars from the glass in a youthful aromatic constellation of black cherries, dark berries, espresso, a lovely base of soil, woodsmoke and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very refined on the attack, with a sappy core, superb soil signature, fine-grained tannins and outstanding length and grip on the pure and youthfully complex finish. Given that this was just bottled, I would expect my score to creep up a point or two once the wine has really recovered from the mise. Great juice. (Drink between 2025-2075)

A discreet but not invisible application of wood highlights markedly earthy aromas of both red and dark berries, sauvage hints and underbrush. There is good verve to the delicious, intense and broad-shouldered flavors that possess very solid density as well as plenty of dry extract that does a fine job of buffering the very firm tannic spine on the impressively long finish. This would not be a good candidate for early drinking as the finish is classic Clos de Vougeot with its youthful austerity.

(WA91-93 points) The 2012 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru comes from Drouhin’s two parcels, one occupying a better location than the other. It has a fine, well-defined bouquet, quite pointed at first with citrus peel infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft, supple opening. There is a sense of lushness here, imbued with fine acidity and there is a crescendo toward the wild strawberry-driven, creamy finish. Very fine. - Neal Martin