2016 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac, Burgundy

They have 1.95 ha here. No frost in 2016. Barrel sample.

Deep crimson. Really very sumptuous on the nose. Rather glorious. It is very headily and obviously a grand cru. Dense and thick with a heavy tannic charge than most but thick. Massive. Impressive. Lots of ‘microbial life’ here!

Drink 2026 - 2046

The 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from Dujac has a muted nose. The heavy-handed use of new oak obscures the fruit here. The palate is chewy on the entry with what seems like more extraction than its peers. As a consequence, it lacks the requisite breeding and complexity towards the finish that feels simple at the moment. Is there more to come? I hope so, and knowing this producer, there probably is.

Drink 2022 - 2040

The estate made a full crop of 40 hectoliters per hectare, as there was no frost here.

Full, dark red. Captivating raspberry, strawberry, spices, flowers and sweet new oak aromas. Juicy, intense and aromatic on the palate--, it youthfully imploded positively. It projects compelling energy and subtle sweetness to its red berry and spice flavours. Finishes very long and tight, with an exhilarating wild berry element. A knockout sharply delineated Clos de la Roche that offers terrific intensity without any sense of weight.

As it was when I first reviewed it, the nose remains restrained if quite pretty with its blend of various red berries, herbal tea, spice and appealing floral and sandalwood wisps. There is fine intensity to the sleek and beautifully delineated flavours that possess evident power if only moderate density on the stony, nicely complex and impressively long finish. This remains backward and young as the supporting tannins, while ripe and firm, make it clear that this relatively elegant beauty will require moderately extended cellaring.

Drink 2031+

The Clos de la Roche is attractive this year. It opens in the glass with a complex bouquet of dark berries, strawberries, grilled meat, dark chocolate, and pencil shavings framed by a touch of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and multidimensional, with a fine but firm core of tannins that seems more structurally supple than has been the case in the last few vintages chez Dujac.

Drink 2028 - 2050

Fine, rich purple, very sensual, with an impressive wealth of fruit surging through on the nose and some attractive white pepper notes. There is a slight reduction from the stems, but it is not ingrained. More importantly, there is a sublime concentration of dark raspberries with a strong infusion of white pepper. This will be an immense pleasure in years to come.