The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Les Gaudichots shows great intensity in its dark fruit. It is a rich, seductive wine layered with hints of sweet spices, mint and roses, all of which add complexity as well as freshness. A vein of minerality gives the wine its verve. The Gaudichots is too steep for tractors, so Forey works this parcel with a horse. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. Regis Forey began harvesting on September 13. His wines did a total of eight(!) weeks of cuvaison, by far the lengthiest vinifications of any grower I visited. Forey used 100% new oak for all of his 1ers and Grands Crus. The wines were bottled between December, 2010 and February, 2011 with no fining or filtration. These are unusually open, fruit-driven wines, even within the context of 2009. The Grand Crus are not necessarily better than some of the 1ers. I am not sure how well the wines will age, but in most cases they will certainly deliver considerable pleasure early on. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990