They 2016 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur has a more complex bouquet than the Crapiots with pure black fruit, bilberry and a touch of cold slate, with the 30% whole bunch lending freshness and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and a keen line of acidity, very poised with orange zest, Morello cherry and raspberry toward the silky finish. What a superb Clos Prieur—I wager that this will surpass the 2015.

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur, matured in 50% new oak, has a lively and elegant bouquet with bright dark cherry and blackberry fruit, matched with impressive mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. It feels compact at the moment, yet the tannins are crisp and tensile, and there is plenty of red cherry and strawberry on the tart finish. This is very fine.

The 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur has a little more complexity than the Au Closeau. Here the fruit is a touch darker with a subtle marine influence, a couple of oyster shells mixed in with the black fruit. The palate is quite sharp and citric on the entry. There is a surfeit of energy here and very good tension. I wonder if that acidity is dialed up just a little too high on the finish? I appreciate the tension here but it just feels a little "uncontrolled" on the finish.

The 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur has a more earthy bouquet compared to Drouhin-Laroze's fellow '13s: nicely defined, but broody at first. A few swirls of the glass and it begins to awaken. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp red tarty fruit, hints of orange and marmalade with a straightforward but focused, easy-drinking finish.

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur has a perfumed, expressive bouquet with vibrant red cherry and fresh strawberry fruit that displays fine delineation. The palate is rounded and supple on the entry. There is a layer of plush red berry fruit here laced with spice and a savory aspect that comes forth towards the finish. It just needs to gain a little more focus but that might be delivered with 3-4 years in bottle. This domaine must possess one of the most enviable portfolios in the Cote de Nuits, with several grand crus to their name scattered across 11.5-hectares of prime vineyard. So I guess one must ask the question why Drouhin-Laroze is not better known? I suppose you could argue that in the past, the wines had an air of commerciality about them, wines that were commendable and enjoyable, yet rarely approached the profundity of say Rousseau or Bachelet. Their intrinsic quality was not in doubt. The trouble is that when you have such a roll call of iconic grand crus to your name, the bar is simply raised. Personally, I have found much pleasure in previous vintages that always seem to show well in barrel. I have always found winemaker Philippe Drouhin to be a conscientious vigneron, usually with his wife Christine by his side, either in the office or pouring wines at tastings. And there is now a gradual changing over to the sixth generation as their son Nicolas and daughter Caroline, gain more involvement in the running of the estate that now includes a negociant arm overseen by Caroline. Tasting through their 2012s, there does remain a slight “heaviness” to the wines that you could align with say, Bernard Dugat, and that does not mean they are inherently inferior – just that it is a perceptible leitmotif that means they rarely contain the finesse or effortlessness of those aforementioned growers. I always come away thinking if that if they just tweaked their practices a little, they could suddenly see their wines capture that sense of magic – perhaps pick a little earlier, extract less and moderate the level of new wood that has always made an impression e.g. reconsider using 100% new oak for all the grand crus. This is an estate to watch. They have always quietly gone about creating very good wines, but it would not take much with those grand crus to see them suddenly elevated to the top league. Importer: available through Diva Beaune in the United States, also Atherton Wine Imports (www.awiwine.com) in California and through Fields, Morris & Verdin in the UK.