Emmanuel Rouget said harvesting began on 8 September and that quantities were “good.” Most malo-lactic fermentations were early, but not all (this is a cellar where I often encounter late malos, in fact, malos that have not finished when I visit more than a year after the harvest).
The wines start very good and finish with some of the greatest wines of the vintage.
2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
The nose here most attractive with perfumed red fruits. The mouth is medium-weight with purity, lightness, harmony, and precision to its red fruits. (89-91)
2017 Chorey-les-Beaune
The Chorey shows more acidity than the Bourgogne with pleasing and pure maraschino cherry fruit and quite a bit of elegance. 30% new oak here. (89-91)
2017 Savigny-les-Beaune
The Savigny is from the Planchots lieu-dit, about 200 meters from Chorey with very sandy, warm soils and good drainage. The wine has mineral red fruits and more tension than the Chorey. It is smooth and energetic. 30% new wood. (90-92)
2017 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Lavières
This is a new vineyard for Rouget. The vines are 45 years-old, which Emmanuel calls “relatively young,” but he is not happy with the quality of the vines and is replacing vines as they die. He says it will take ten years to fully achieve his objective here. The wine shows finesse and well-defined red fruits with calm. It is a good wine, but lacks the minerality I associate with the vineyard. (89-91)
2017 Nuit-Saint-Georges
The nose here has dark fruit, intensity, and a hint of smokiness. The mouth is pure and deep with dark fruits, crystallinity, and a smooth texture. 30% new oak. (91-93)
2017 Vosne-Romanée
As usual, the equivalent of a good premier cru. The wine is crisp, pure, and crystalline with fresh red and dark fruits, good complexity, and a silky texture. 30% new oak. (92-94)
2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts
The Vosne-Beaumonts displays finesse, purity, and concentration with great length. The wine is elegant in the mouth with minerality and crystallinity to its red fruits, salinity, and purity. All new wood. (95-97)
2017 Echézeaux
I can’t recall a better Echézeaux from Rouget, and indeed it’s difficult to come up with a better Echézeaux from anyone. The wine starts with the truffly nose sometimes described as Echézeaux stink. The mouth has dark fruits with the sensuality of Echézeaux and more weight here than for the Beaumonts, but still with great finesse and a silky texture. There is a beautiful, long development of flavors in the mouth. (96-98)
2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux
Last, the magnificent Vosne-Cros Parantoux features flamboyant dark fruit aromas and flavors with energy and freshness. Located just above Richebourg, one easily sees a great Richebourg in this wine. (97-99)