The 2016 Richebourg Grand Cru includes 30% whole cluster fruit, the highest at the domaine ever, which Thibaut said combined all the elements of the vineyard together. There was just a slight reduction on the nose, though underneath lies intense blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of truffle and cedar and then later subtle white flower scents. This seems to gather momentum in the glass, and it fans out beautifully on the regal finish. It will clearly require some time in bottle, so find a berth for this in your cellar and then forget about it. Not forever. Just say 8 to 10 years for it to show its pedigree.

The 2014 Richebourg Grand Cru simply has developed a beautiful bouquet now that this is in bottle: very intense already with fresh red cherry, strawberry and briary aromas, actually clamming up a little in the glass. The palate is nicely structured, grainy in texture, saline, lightly spiced, gently building to quite an assertive finish. All the components are in place for a impressive Richebourg, but as usual, I would give it a decade in bottle so that it can really show what it can do. Tasted November 2016.

The 2013 Richebourg is 100% destemmed with 50% new oak. The new oak is prominent on the nose, although it does not obscure the intensity on the fruit underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, very well- judged acidity, a touch of salted licorice suddenly popping up on the complex finish. This is not a powerful Richebourg, more feminine and poised, but I agree with Thibault that it will build during the remainder of its élevage and it already has a very long tail on the aftertaste.

Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Thibaut Liger-Belair is a little oaky on the nose with full, quite rich red and black fruit, a hint of powdered coca but nothing too much to get worried about. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded tannin, moderate complexity but a little muffled on the finish at the moment and unlike the Richebourg from Etienne Grivot, it does not gain more clarity with aeration. Still, it is a very fine contribution to the vintage, though it is outperformed by others here.