"The 2003s from the Cote de Nuits offer more exceptional wines than any vintage since 1990 - the aromatic richness of the finest 2003s is awe-inspiring, as are their textures, fruit density and lengthy finishes." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

"The 2003 red Burgundies are exceptional young Pinot Noirs. Marked by the extreme heat and dryness of the vintage, they exude ripeness, concentration and power. The best bottles will be legendary and will deserve a place in collectors' cellars." -Wine Spectator

I like powerful, nuanced wines. Fortunately, before giving up on this mysterious thing called great red Burgundy, I found Philippe Leclerc. Philippe makes Gevrey-Chambertin, which is the northernmost major winemaking appellation of the Cote d'Or. As you probably know, the Cote d'Or is that blessed strip of sloping, pebbly, chalky, limestone vineyards that produces miniscule quantities of some of the finest wine in the world.

Philippe makes some of the finest Gevrey-Chambertin - no, I'll broaden the universe and say Burgundy - you will ever put in your glass. Philippe grew up surrounded by vines. His family has owned land in Gevrey-Chambertin for about a hundred years. Philippe started learning about winemaking at an early age - he left school at 13, to work in the vineyard with his father. He produced his first vintage in 1979.

Philippe is his own man. He is iconoclastic in his winemaking: always harvesting after everyone else, never fining or filtering, long cuvaison, charring his barrels. His wines are substantial, darkly colored, earthy with aggressive fruit. They are muscular and meaty. They are built to last.

Philippe Leclerc's Combe aux Moines is a premier cru. He uses new oak and ages in cask for two years before it is bottled. This vineyard (along with Les Cazetiers) has the potential to make wines that are grand cru equivalents (which run $150 per bottle)- and in the hands of Philippe Leclerc, it is a sure thing. So, for a grand cru in your glass without the expense of a grand cru, Combe aux Moines is something you should buy.

In addition to his premiers crus, Philippe makes a village classified wine that is spectacular: Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs. The grapes come from an ideally located vineyard just up the slope and a bit northeast of premier cru les Cazetiers. When I tasted it for the first time (in 2003) recently I nearly fell over. Fantastic!! First of all, the basic ingredients are all there: the vines average 50-years-old, the terroir is ideal (high on the hill next to one of the best premier cru vineyards, add Philippe and you have a rich, powerful, and structured wine at a great price for this level of Burgundy.