The 2016 Clos de Vougeot Grand Maupertuis Grand Cru was a driven by the toasty new oak on the nose that obstructed some of the fruit from showing through. The palate is rounded on the entry with crushed strawberry, cranberry and orange peel notes; however, the new oak dominates the finish. One hopes that it will become fully integrated with time in bottle. There are just three barrels this year.

The 2015 Clos de Vougeot Grand Maupertuis Grand Cru, the two barrels both new, actually handles the oak with more aplomb than the premier crus, allowing the mulberry and briary scents to develop in the glass unobstructed. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and plenty of freshness. Here the oak character does surface and create a veneer that slightly obscures the terroir expression towards the finish. Again, one hopes that this will be absorbed with time in bottle.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. Quite deep in color, Michel Gros’s Clos de Vougeot Grand Maupertui has a herbaceous but not vegetal bouquet with assiduous use of stems that lends freshness and vigor. Tertiary and cigar-box tones dominate the aromatics, but with time those broody red and black fruit begin to emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, well-judged acidity and a harmonious, quite silky finish that is showing just a little too much toasty oak at the moment. Give this Clos de Vougeot another year in bottle.