Domaine Nicole Lamarche, La Grande Rue Grand Cru 2015

The 2015 La Grand Rue Grand Cru has a concentrated bouquet, very pure but more introspective than its peers. It demands a lot of coaxing from the glass, eventually unfolding to reveal gorgeous, seductive scents of wild strawberry, raspberry, orange blossom and sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied, offering supple tannin, crisp acidity and symmetrical focus, but I would have liked more substance on the finish. At the moment, this Grand Cru is holding its breath. It needs to exhale! There is a great wine here, but at present, it is indifferent to being loved. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Offering up a rich but reticent bouquet of cassis, currant leaf and plums, the 2015 La Grande Rue Grand Cru performed a touch better than it did six months ago. While this full-bodied wine is somewhat firm and inscrutable, it does seem to possess some depth and substance.