Varoilles Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “La Romanée” 2015

Today the nose shows gingerbread and cherries, with briary, brambly fruits and a pleasant toastiness. In the mouth this walks a beautiful line between robust Gevrey structure and elegant mineral notes. The tannins are perfectly extracted — intense and bold but not at all bitter or dry.

Burghound awarded 92 points, finding it “Exceptionally ripe with plum and black cherry liqueur aromas that are cut with spice, violet, menthol and oak notes. The vibrant, delicious and even more mineral-inflected flavors are relatively fine while delivering fine length on the sappy and balanced if distinctly toasty finish.”

Old vines (planted in the 1950s), exceptional terroir, expert winemaking, and an excellent vintage — all make it hard to find much wrong with this wine. It’s not exactly cheap, but the best in any category rarely is.