Clos Frantin Vosne Romanee Malconsorts 1er Cru 2017 (750ML)

94 JS / 93 JM / 91-93 BH / 91 VM / 16.5+ JR

A fragrant and complex Vosne-Romanée with deep black-cherry and floral notes on the nose. Then comes the rich and very elegant palate, the tannins almost completely masked by the fruit, until you reach the very powerful yet polished finish. Try in 2023.—James Suckling

Dense purple colour, the nose is much stricter than the Amoureuses but just as tense. If anything there is greater concentration here but the wine is shaped differently, with a firmer stricter structure at the back, through the fruit flows over the tannins. There is just enough acidity. Does the wine hold the same concentration all the way to the finish? Tasted: November 2018.—Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

Tasting note: An overtly floral nose features notes of plum, violet, lavender and an impressive array of spice and tea nuances. The muscular and powerful yet reasonably refined broad-shouldered flavors exhibit evident minerality on the beautifully persistent and indisputably built-to-age finale. As do all competent examples of Malconsorts, this will require extended cellaring to resolve the very firm structure. Outstanding. –Allen Meadows, Burghound

The 2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru has a pastille-like bouquet of pure red cherries, strawberry and orange blossom, a little simple compared to its peers. The palate is somewhat sweet-and-sour on the entry, showing quite a bit of extraction. Spicy but not quite as clean as I would like on the finish. Difficult to read. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting. -- Neal Martin

Black cherry and bramble fruit. Digestible tannins, refreshing acidic lift, but the complexity is pretty limited. One of the least forthcoming 2017s. For the backburner. –Richard Hemming MW, Jancis Robinson