After glowing reviews, a number of attempts, a recent welcome tip-off and at least three reviews from Will at Irish Wine Contemplations, I finally managed to track down the Domaine Des Croix Bourgogne Rouge 2005 in Berry Brothers, Harry Street, Dublin.

Here’s what Will had to say:

What a cracking bottle of wine, this is the most delicious bottle of this that I have had yet. Lovely sweet smells of blackberries, strawberries and cream. Seriously smooth and voluptuous mouthfeel.

And Bill Nanson (from the Burgundy Report),

The nose is pungent with creamy, mineral, ripe and soft red fruit – it’s like a grand cru – an okay start then! The palate is not quite so silky smooth as the Morgon, but the concentration is undoubted, neither is the quality of the creamy fruit that pushes, long, long into the finish. The creaminess seems to have an oaky base, so I’d personally let this slumber a while despite its ‘come hither’ demeanour – just like you would any 1er cru. Its modern-styled and with a decent dose of oak, but ignoring the Leroy 2004 Bourgogne (appellation chimera) this could be the best bourgogne I’m ever likely to buy!

Both spot-on descriptions that I can’t really improve on.

At about €20, some may think this to be pricey – but in my opinion it’s tasting like some of the premier cru or grand cru Burgundy wine I’ve had the pleasure to taste (not buy) some of which go for over €100.

Yes, it really is that good.

Put another way, you could say it’s a special occasion wine, at a very very attractive price.

Don’t try this at home, kids

So good in fact, I’m ashamed to say that there wasn’t much left after opening on the first night – a reflection on my of lack of self control (but only on this occasion) and an attempt to describe just how amazing this wine is.

I’ll be back to Berry Brothers to stock up on this (if there’s any left).