Wine Advisor
Jean Grivot, Richebourg Grand Cru 2003
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Deep ruby-red. Very reticent but pure aromas of black raspberry, minerals and menthol. Lush on entry, then precise and backward in the middle, with an almost medicinal austerity and outstanding concentration. This expands and explodes on the back end, coating the palate with black cherry, bitter chocolate and mineral flavors. A rare case of a 2003 that seems as primary as most '04s are today, and that will require extended bottle aging. One of the early superstars of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated ruby-red. Very ripe, perfumed aromas of blackberry, violet, minerals and bitter chocolate. Silky, dense and hugely concentrated, with sappy, deep flavors of black and red fruits. A glyceral, extremely deep Richebourg with outstanding breadth. Spectacularly dense and suave on the back end, with slowly building, unflagging flavors and noble tannins. There are not many 2003s like this one!
Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani
Incredible aromatic richness and depth is displayed by the blackberry-packed nose of the 2003 Richebourg. Concentrated, powerful, and broad-shouldered, this full-bodied effort reveals tar-laced blackberry flavors. A wine of substantial density, it coats the taster’s palate with huge quantities of fruit as well as ripe tannin. Notes of chocolate, asphalt, and licorice emerge in its extended, sweet, yet structured finish. This bold effort appears to be holding much in reserve, foretelling the possibility of a prodigious future. Projected maturity: 2010-2020+ Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company., New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400
About the Producer
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle (Patrick Bize's sister) took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The Grivot family believes in generational change and in 2017, Étienne and Marielle’s daughter, Mathilde, took over for her parents. Mathilde brings a fresh approach while maintaining the longtime traditions of the Grivot family. The recently renovated winery and cellar is in Vosne-Romanée where most of the Grivot vineyards are located. The domaine has been assembled over several generations to its current size of 15.5 hectares and includes holdings in three grand crus: Clos de Vougeot, Echézeaux, and Richebourg. Mathilde believes in getting quality first thanks to meticulous vineyard work throughout the year. The result of this hard work is healthy, ripe (both phenolic and sugar levels) and depth of concentration and flavor of the fruit. Today, the vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification,” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir. The grapes are entirely destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The fermentation starts naturally, with a little punching down before this fermentation begins. There is no more pigeage after fermentation begins, “I don’t like to mix the physical (punching down) with the spiritual (fermentation),” said Étienne. After fermentation, the wines are pumped over once a day before aging in barrel for 15 months. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 25% for the villages appellations, 30-40% for the premier crus and 40-45% percent for the grands crus.
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