2018 Cecile Tremblay Bourgogne Côte d'Or

Formerly known as the cuvée "La Croix Blanche," Tremblay's 2018 Bourgogne Côte d'Or derives from well-situated parcels in the communes of Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. Offering up an inviting bouquet of red berries, woodsmoke and raw cocoa that's framed by a deft touch of oak, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit, elegant structuring tannins and lively acids. Cécile Tremblay, whose small domaine has at this stage attained cult status, told me that she had found the 2018 vintage "a bit disconcerting—the balance of the wines, the sheer volume of grapes, the degree of ripeness—I never saw anything like it!" Having tasted Tremblay's 2018s shortly after they were pressed, then in spring 2019 and again in fall 2019 when I took the notes published here, I have followed these wines from their inception, and they have gained in definition with élevage while remaining dramatic and textural. These are some of the most lavish, sensual wines Tremblay has produced to date, and they will offer broad windows of irresistible drinking. (WK)