Meo Camuzet Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulees - 2021

This is a powerful aristocrat of a wine, to be taken seriously. The impression is one of concentration, and the touch of spiciness it frequently offers us shows that its name is well chosen. It is true to the terroir of Vosne in that its strength is not expressed through aggressive elements. On the contrary, it is a well-balanced and complex wine. Pétillante ?

Burghound 92-95: Here the expressive nose freely reveals its overtly exotic aromas of orange peel, jasmine tea, star anise, sandalwood and violet. The rich and impressively concentrated medium-bodied flavors are also blessed with an abundance of tannin-buffering dry extract while displaying outstanding length on the firm, serious and youthfully austere finish. This beautifully balanced if compact effort should also amply reward longer-term cellaring.

Wine Advocate 92-94: The domaine's efforts to protect the 2021 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées were quite successful, so the yield this year is the same as in 2020. Bursting with notions of raspberries and plums mingled with orange zest, spices and petals, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with powdery tannins, bright acids and a melting finish.

Vinous 92-94: The 2021 Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlées 1er Cru is expressive and overtly floral on the nose…just how you want a Vosne to be. It discretely gains intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with quite structured red fruit, symmetrical, nothing powerful yet almost "athletic" on the finish. I suspect this will gain weight throughout its second winter.

Decanter 94: This is ripe and smoky up front, with a black cherry and mulberry fruit aromas and mineral and earth notes. The texture of the wine is dense and firm but enlivened by the fresh acidity of the 2021 vintage that carries it to a marvelous, lingering finish. The grapes come from Méo’s 0.72-hectare parcel planted in the 1930s. The grapes are destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (half new). This will show well sooner than the grand crus but should also have the substance to age for several decades. Wonderful wine.

Burghound 92-95: An overtly floral-suffused and highly perfumed nose reflects notes of spice, red and dark cherry and exotic jasmine tea. There is better refinement and more minerality as well to the beautifully textured medium-bodied flavors that display a taut muscularity on the moderately austere, serious, compact and very much built-to-age finale. Excellent.

Vinous 93-95: The 2022 Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlées 1er Cru, matured in 80% new oak, has a floral bouquet with pressed violets merging with raspberry and wild strawberry scents. There is a lovely definition here, and it gains intensity in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is silky on the entry, cohesive and poised, building with a sense of self-confidence towards the finish. Again, the oak is assiduously applied here, allowing the terroir to speak. Classy.

Decanter 93: Tasted out of barrel, Méo's Aux Brûlées was a bit reserved on the nose. The texture on the palate was firmly tannic, with a substantial, even massive, amount of extract, but the fruit seemed relatively faint at this point, with a suggestion of black plums and a bit of smoke. There was surprising weight and persistence on the palate but little generosity. With time this should open nicely, but age it for at least five years before opening.