Domaine Dujac Vosne Romanée 1er Cru ‘Les Beaux Monts’ 2022

From a parcel of .73 ha on the Flagey side. Here there is a subtle though not invisible application of wood that still easily allows the airy, cool and restrained aromas of various black berries and cassis, and in particular cherry, floral and a mildly exotic whiff of dried orange peel. The energetic and beautifully well-detailed middleweight flavors are notably finer if less powerful than those of the Charmes while display notably more minerality as well on the compact, serious and built-to-age finale. This is a wine of finesse and refinement and though not especially concentrated, I like the balance as well as the aging potential, which is just as well as more depth would be welcome. Drink: 2034+.

The youngest vines are from 1987 and they will be first to be pulled out (161/49 issues). A fresh and lively purple with good depth. There is energy here as well as being sensual. The bouquet is growing in stature. No one fruit takes the lead, but together they build a sensual mid palate, with a few spicy notes to bring up the finish. All perfectly in place and for the long term. Drink: 2032-2040.

The 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts is another standout this year, mingling aromas of cherries and raspberries with notions of tea-smoked duck and exotic spices in a complex mélange. Medium to full-bodied, layered and vibrant, with a concentrated core of fruit underpinned by bright acids, it concludes with a youthfully chalky finish.

There is a lovely tannic depth to the ripe, supple mulberry fruit of the 2022 Beaux Monts from Dujac that gives a solid impression of structure and length, but the wine is approachable as well, and the balance between the wine's tension and forward fruit is compelling. The grapes come from almost three-quarters of a hectare near the base of the slope. The grapes were partially destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask. Drink: 2030-2065.