It may have something to do with the cooler site, or the high percentage of limestone in the soils, but this is the freshest and best balanced of the domaine's grands crus in 2017. Tangy, bright and very refined, it has chiselled acidity, fine-grained oak, lacy tannins and remarkable focus and balance. It's long and very satisfying. (TA)

Good dense colour. Young vines since 2003 have changed the quality here, positively, as a counterpoint to the ancient vines. Cyrielle points out that their Clos is on white oolite blanc which retains humidity well. Lovely density of pure red fruit beneath, almost an orange touch, remarkably fine yet again. Touch of liquorice at the back.

The 2017 Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru has a pixelated bouquet that really expresses the limestone soils of this vineyard: subtle pressed iris scents infuse the red berry fruit, all with brilliant delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. There is a fine bead of acidity here, again, a little spicy (the leitmotif throughout the Rousseau range) with impressive grip and persistence on the finish. Excellent. (NM)

The 2017 Clos des Ruchottes is a stunning young wine. The bouquet is very red fruity again, soaring from the glass in a blaze of red plums, red and black cherries, a touch of raspberry, raw cocoa, a very complex base of soil tones, woodsmoke and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core, great transparency, ripe, seamless tannins and a very long, very pure and complex finish. I love the combination here of supreme elegance, but with the volume and grip turned way up on the very energetic and precise finish.

At least based on these barrel samples, the 2017 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru Clos des Ruchottes has the edge over the Clos Saint-Jacques this year, soaring from the glass with a fragrant bouquet of red cherries, raspberries, spices and orange rind. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive with good concentration at the core, tangy acids and chalky structuring tannins. (William Kelley)