90

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2009 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er Cru has a very lively, floral bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit, incense and iris flower. Fine delineation. The palate is surprisingly tannic and backward, quite an "insolent" Malconsorts, solid and missing a bit of Pinoté toward the finish. I have encountered other Cathiard wines with more charm. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune. 11/2022

92+

Stephen Tanzer

Vinous

Good medium red. Reticent but highly complex nose combines redcurrant, dried spices, coffee, milk chocolate and earth; smells rich and mellow. Large-scaled and weighty, with huge volume for premier cru. Mocha, graphite and oak notes currently overshadow primary pinot fruits. Finishes tight and rather introverted, with a touch of aggressive austerity to the strong tannins. Cathiard takes the fact that the wine is very closed now as a sign that it will age well, but I wonder if there's enough verve here to outlive the tannins. Still, this wine would appear to need a decade of cellaring. 03/2012