Beginning with the 2002 vintage, Gerard Raphet decided to segregate the fruit from his oldest vines to produce 50-100 cases a year of something really distinguised. The 2005 Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes announces itself with meaty, slightly sweaty aromas, and a hint of rhododendron undergrowth. It comes onto the palate with the richness of a concentrated meat stock mingled with high toned distilled plum and Syrah-like notes of black pepper. This vigorous, concentrated, sappy Pinot offers abundant tannins relatively covered by an almost thick richness, and a pungent and bittersweet finish that really sticks to the palate. Less refined, with less primary sweetness than the Lavaux St.-Jacques, it will need at least a decade in the cellar and – even though no long track record exists for this bottling – bids fair to age well beyond that. Jean Raphet officially retired and passed on his domain to his son Gerard with the 2002 vintage, but the latter has been responsible for the vineyards for many years. I last tasted through this cellar a year ago when the 2005s had not been through malo, and was only able to re-taste the following small subset from bottle, which however includes what I have found to be Raphet’s three consistently best appellations. (They continue to sell a significant amount of wine to negociants as well as to do custom cuvees for certain U.S. importers.)A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93
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