Wine: 1997 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

Producer: Domaine Denis Mortet (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Comment: Explosive, very ripe nose of roasted cherries, dried herbs, anise and hints of damp earth flow seamlessly into large-scaled, extremely rich, multi-dimensional flavors and a long, rich finish that displays solid persistence. This is already quite supple with moderate tannic structure, medium density and just enough acidity to nicely buffer the richness and sufficiently preserve the wine's balance. The wine can already be drunk with pleasure though it should continue to improve over the next five years. To be sure, the wine is clearly a creature of its vintage, which is to say there is a decided emphasis on very ripe fruit and flavors and while it's hardly a terroirist's dream, there is much to admire in the lovely mix of richness, complexity and fine length. 89/2004-7

U.S. Importer: Martine's Wines, San Raphael, Calif., (415) 485-1800

Suggested Price: $105 (you can expect to pay $75 to $95)

Important Note: Burghound.com has no financial relationship of any kind with Domaine Denis Mortet, Martine's Wines, or with any retailer selling this wine.

Each week we feature a different Burgundy. While there will be a mix of vintages, most wines featured will be those that can normally be found at a variety of fine wine retailers. Each wine will be described and rated with a suggested window of peak drinkability indicated after the numerical score. Prices shown are estimated retail in the U.S., but prices do of course vary widely depending on the retailer.