Last June's visit in Burgundy gave the opportunity to taste with some of the most storied domaines, getting intimate with the 2014's in bottle and the 2015's in barrel. What I had not expected was to be introduced to a brand new vigneron. But, one afternoon in Morey Saint Denis after sharing some 1993 Clos de la Roche at Chez Dujac I made my way across the street to the new home (and domaine) of Yann Charlopin-Tissier. 

Tissier's background is one surrounded by legendary figures. His father, Philippe, was a student of Henri Jayer as he started his own domaine in 1978. Yann worked closely with his father starting in 2004, and then with another mentor, Jean-Marie Fourrier, before launching his own domaine.

In April we offered the impressive 2014 whites from Yann, and today we turn to his 2015 Vosne Romanée. Of all Yann's reds from this concentrated and full-throttle vintage, the Vosne Romanée was the WOW wine at Sunday's full lineup tasting. Not surprisingly, the velvety tannins and exotic spices that this village is so revered for were in full focus. The source is 50-year-old vines from the lieu-dit vineyard "Les Ormes", situated down slope from Grand Crus, Richebourg and Romanée Saint Vivant. 

This is arguably the most expensive neighborhood on earth, with adjacent vineyards producing wines that fetch thousands of dollars per bottle. The pedigree of the terroir demands a skilled and thoughtful vigneron to coax out the most. Yann is the first to tell you that great wine is made in the vineyard, and likely that'll be where you'll find him from dawn to sunset. (His boots and courtyard littered with mud identifies this fact long before he does). His style, like that of Fourrier, is all about suave, satin-like mouthfeel, deeply rich fruit, and a relentless finish thanks to these older vines and the dramatic lower yields.

There's been a lot of clamor on the 2015 reds in Burgundy. Tasting out of barrel, and now bottle, it's clear the concentration behind these wines is unlike anything we've seen in some time. I will not follow the course of some, exclaiming this as far superior to classic vintages like 2013 and 2014 that offer brilliant transparency for terroir.However, I will say that these 2015's have a immediacy and flamboyant deliciousness that is undeniable, with structure to go the long haul.

I returned to this bottle over and over again on Sunday, and with air it became nearly impossible to put down. Vosne Romanée from this terroir and class is not easy to come by, and certainly not at this price point in 2015.

2015 Charlopin-Tissier Vosne Romanée
$79 per bott