Medium to dark ruby-colored, the 2001 Echezeaux boasts gorgeous aromatics of sweet black cherries, violets, and spices. An intense, medium-bodied effort jam-packed with fruit, it bastes the palate with broad layers of red cherries and raspberries. Pure, flavorful, and deep, its finish is somewhat marred by firm tannin. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. Etienne Grivot, the honorable, thoughtful man who runs this estate, characterized 2001 as having “decent ripeness” and being “comparable to 1978, a heterogeneous year of low maturity. Qualitatively, I’d rank it as better or much better than 1998.” Like his colleagues, Grivot mentioned the fact that the red 2001s have long malo-lactic fermentations, with many lasting through September, 2002. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725