Bruno Clair Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode 2005

From vines planted in 1902, the Clair 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune La Dominodes is uncompromisingly concentrated, meaty, salty and pithy. Scents of wood smoke, tobacco, bitter black fruits and pungent herbs rise from the glass. This stains the palate like a medicinal remedy of black cherry, tincture of iodine, and herbal essences. (What’s the disease? I’ll catch it!) Amazingly sinewy, muscular and energetic, it epitomizes the uncompromising, lean Bruno Clair style, not to mention the fruit of vines too old to waste their juices trying to flatter the critics. Arguably the greatest wine in Savigny, Clair’s Dominode nearly always needs close to a decade to repay its price, and this year I’d say “longer”.- WA91~93

A hint of reduction detracts only mildly from the otherwise earthy and spicy dark berry fruit nose and delicious, generous and fleshy middle weight flavors that are sweet, intense and quite finely structured, all wrapped in a finish of impressive length. The only thing missing at present is more depth and this may very well come with time in bottle as the underlying material is first rate. - BH88~91