The hyper-ripe, nearly black 1997 Clos de la Roche displays a nose of tar, blackberry liqueur, and sweet oak spices. Almonds, flowers, red berries, and licorice can be found in this muscular, yet elegant, medium to full-bodied wine. As is generally the case with offerings from the Lecheneaut brothers, this is a powerhouse, yet it possesses the elegance which has made Burgundy's great Pinot Noirs famous the world over. Its immensely long and flavor-packed finish reveals copious quantities of supple, round tannins. Drink this beauty over the next 10 years. The Lecheneaut brothers were "extremely satisfied" with their 1997s. "We've worked hard to regulate our yields. Our approach is to make sure that each vine produces the same amount of fruit, this is much more important than the overall yields." In 1997, the Lecheneauts harvested between 24-35 h/h, obtaining grapes of "great health and ripeness." None of the wines were acidified, a slight chaptalisation was performed, and they were left on their lees without racking throughout their elevage. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel (202) 832-9083.

The hyper-ripe, nearly black 1997 Clos de la Roche displays a nose of tar, blackberry liqueur, and sweet oak spices. Almonds, flowers, red berries, and licorice can be found in this muscular, yet elegant, medium to full-bodied wine. As is generally the case with offerings from the Lecheneaut brothers, this is a powerhouse, yet it possesses the elegance which has made Burgundy's great Pinot Noirs famous the world over. Its immensely long and flavor-packed finish reveals copious quantities of supple, round tannins. Drink this beauty over the next 10 years.The Lecheneaut brothers were "extremely satisfied" with their 1997s. "We've worked hard to regulate our yields. Our approach is to make sure that each vine produces the same amount of fruit, this is much more important than the overall yields." In 1997, the Lecheneauts harvested between 24-35 h/h, obtaining grapes of "great health and ripeness." None of the wines were acidified, a slight chaptalisation was performed, and they were left on their lees without racking throughout their elevage. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel (202) 832-9083.