Medium to dark ruby-colored, the 2000 Chambertin exhibits tar-laced spicy black fruit aromas. This magnificent wine combines the generosity of fruit found in the finest offerings of the vintage with a power, depth, structure, and concentration that is typically lacking in the 2000s. Its intense and muscular flavor profile coats the taster’s palate with waves of super-ripe plums and blackberries whose effects linger throughout its regal, sweet finish. Certainly one of the finest reds produced in 2000, it will be at its peak of maturity between 2005 and 2014. Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy liked both the 2000 and 2001 vintages, stating that she was “rather pleased with the 2001s as they will bring lots of joy to those who drink them young” and that the 2000s “are candied fruit, reduction of fruit, the essence of fruit.” Many Burgundians chose to bottle their 2001 early in order to “trap” the fruit in the bottle, but Bize-Leroy beat them all to the punch, having completed the bottling process by early September, 2002. Typically an early bottler, Mme. Bize-Leroy felt that the 2001s would lose their fruit to either oxidation or the required sulfuring if left in the barrel for a longer elevage. Overall, Domaine Leroy’s 2001s are a success, though many were found to reveal stemmy, woody tannin in their finishes. If this characteristic melts away quickly, my scores on those wines will appear overly conservative. Importer: Martine’s Wines, San Raphael, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400