Tasting Notes
Vinous 95
The 2009 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a savoury, quite meaty nose underneath that carapace of red fruit, very well defined with rose petal and light peony scents. Quite mercurial in the glass. The palate is elegant, though delivers all the substance you demand from a Grand Cru, demonstrating more flesh than the 2009 Ruchottes-Chambertin, quite minerally and intense on the persistent finish. This is a "grower"-the more I come back to this, the more I fall for its charms.
Anticipated maturity: 2026-2045
Robert Parker 92
The 2009 Charmes-Chambertin emerges from the glass with lovely radiance and openness in its ripe, juicy fruit. The Charmes is already rather forward, and at this stage appears to be a relatively early-maturing wine. The oak is also a bit pronounced. Sweet, textured floral notes wrap around the long, polished finish. Rousseau’s Charmes is technically 60% Mazoyeres. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2029. I tasted the following wines with Frederic Robert, who works alongside Eric Rousseau. In 2009 Rousseau and his team began picking on September 7, the earliest in Gevrey. For the first time the estate used 20% whole clusters on all the wines except for Clos de la Roche, which was closer to 15%. The 2009s were scheduled to be bottled in April 2011. I also tasted a handful of 2008s that were deeply impressive. Importer: Frederic Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700
Anticipated maturity: 2015-2029
