A first taste of 2012 burgundy

We will soon be publishing Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's account of the 2012 vintage. In the meantime, Burgundy resident Gareth Skidmore writes:

I had the opportunity to taste all 43 cuvées for this year's Hospices de Beaune auction later this month with winemaker Roland Masse last Tuesday. As the period between de-vatting and the auction is so short this year, Roland suggested an early tasting before the juice gets swamped in new oak.

Of course, trying to form an opinion of wines only two to three weeks after de-vatting is way beyond my experience, but there...