The 2012 Echezeaux Grand Cru actually has a similar nose compared to the Les Gaudichots ’12, with subtle scents of vine tomato and red cherries. The palate has a sweet entry, though I found the oak a little conspicuous when compared to the subtler aforementioned premier cru. Consequently, the finish is missing a little bluntness. Drink 2016-2024. Located in the heart of Vosne, adjacent to the original Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, lies Domaine Regis Forey. Regis’ great-grandfather by the same name founded the domaine in 1840 and the current Regis at the helm took over the 4.5 hectares of vineyard in 1987. In my experience, the wines have been traditionally made, but generally well-crafted. He also is one of the handful of producers who make a Les Gaudichots from a parcel of vines planted in 1930. These samples had been in bottle for one month. (Readers should note that a retrospective of Forey’s wines is in the pipeline.) Importer: Neal Rosenthal, New York, NY; www.madrose.com

The 2010 Echezeaux is all class and elegance. Freshly cut flowers, red berries, tobacco and incense are some of the notes that waft from the glass in this gorgeous, feminine Burgundy. Most of Forey’s 2010s are about power, but the Echezeaux speaks of finesse. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. This is a terrific set of wines from Regis Forey. Quality is strong throughout the range, but Forey has really done a stellar job with his top 1er Crus and Grand Crus, where the wines truly sing. This is one domaine where the quality difference between 2009 and 2010 is quite striking. My strong preference is for the 2010s. I tasted a few of the 2010 village wines from bottle, and the rest of the wines from barrel. The wines in barrel had not been racked. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

The 2009 Echezeaux comes across as big, fat and brooding. This shows quite a bit of concentration but the oak seems overdone and masks much of the vineyard character. Overall the Echezeaux is not as elegant as the finest bottles here. 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