The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses, which included 20% whole bunch fruit, offers pretty red berry fruit laced with spice and hints of brine on the nose. I appreciate the manner in which this opens up. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, juicier than the domaine's other premier crus, with impressive substance and purity on the finish. The quality of the vineyard really carries this wine and though not the "best in show" when it comes to this premier cru, there is much to enjoy here.

The 2015 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses, unsurprisingly, was the best of the domaine's premier crus with lush blueberry and black cherry fruit, an underlying mineralité and fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy, attacking opening. It wants to steal the show. There is plenty of sappy red fruit mixed with white pepper towards the structured and very focused finish. Everything is neatly controlled here, which bodes well for the long-term.

The 2014 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses consists of six barrels this year, two more than last year. It has a bashful nose at first (partly because of the late malolactic that did not finish until July), but it unfurls with aeration -- blackberry, cold stone and a touch of graphite that all gain intensity with each passing moment. The palate is very well balanced with precise tannin, very good backbone, a slightly more structured Amoureuses than others, perhaps with that Morey-like backbone, but the length and the grip here is just wonderful. Give it 5-6 years bottle if you can resist temptation!

The 2013 Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses, which was completely destemmed and aged in around 50% new oak, possesses a very pretty, charming bouquet that is quintessential Amoureuses with an attractive marine element emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of sappy black fruit, good acidity, clamming up a little toward the finish, but nicely focused. This is an Amoureuses that is holding everything back until after bottling.

Tasted blind in a line-up of 2011 Amoureuses in Holland, Amiot-Servelle’s 2011 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Amoureuses is clear in color, with a sensual, well-defined nose, probably capturing the sense of Amoureuses better than any of its peers. This is very well-defined with pure red berry fruit, subtle tertiary scents, wild mint and dried herbs. The palate is medium-bodied, very well-structured with fine tannins. This is struck through with shimmering red fruit from start to finish, and imbued with fine mineralite that lends the finish such joie de vivre. This is still a little closed but has great potential. Bravo! Tasted June 2014.