Vosne Romanée Malconsorts, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard 2018

A cool, pure, airy and restrained nose combines a really lovely spiciness with overtly floral notes on the aromas of black raspberry, wild strawberry and exotic Asian tea. The super-sleek and utterly delicious middle weight flavors offer excellent power and drive while displaying outstanding length on the intensely saline-inflected and youthfully austere and exceptionally firm finish. This robust effort is not a monster of concentration, but I really like the balance.

The most reserved premier cru in the cellar is, as usual, the 2018 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts. Opening in the glass with scents of dark berry fruit, plums, exotic spices, dark chocolate, smoked meats and burning embers, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and muscular, displaying exquisite structural refinement and superb concentration, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. There are 16 barrels this year.