Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses 1er Cru 2012

Robert Parker
Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Amoureuses from Domaine Robert Groffier was perhaps the biggest, and I should add, pleasant surprise of this marathon tasting. Whereas once I felt the wines could be over-extracted and too alcoholic, here was a wine that exuded elegance, finesse and terroir. It has a well-defined bouquet, raspberry and black berry fruit intermingling with black truffle and sous-bois scents. The palate is very "serious" on the entry, saline on the entry with touches of bitter cherry, brambly black fruit and a little tar. There is certainly very fine structure here and superb balance, although patience will be needed. What a fabulous example of the vintage. Bravo Nicolas Groffier!

Vinous 
Hard candy, sweet red berries, cinnamon and mint are all seamless and beautifully integrated in the 2012 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses. With time in the glass, the flavors become a bit darker and richer, with red and purple tones that gain focus. Today, the Amoureuses comes across as a bit raw and not fully formed, but that is not surprising at this very early stage.