1988 RED BURGUNDY
TWENTY YEARS ON
The acidity of the 1978s, coupled with the lush, concentrated fruit of the 1985s, was how I described the 1988 vintage at the outset, adding that Charles Rousseau had said to me that one would have had to have been a real idiot not to have produced good wines in 1988. And if one had screwed up, one should think seriously of changing to another metier.
The weather conditions can be summarised as follows: spring was warm; the flowering took place without mishap; July, August and the first half of September were hot; and after a lull in the middle of the month the weather improved and was in general fine throughout the red wine harvest. The size of the crop, overall, was quite large (more than 1987 and the five year average, but less than the abundant 1986), but by no means excessive in the top domaines. The fruit was in a very satisfactory sanitary condition and the ambient tempertures as the grapes arrived at the wineries were warm but not too hot. It was, in short, an easy vintage to vinify, and it was clear from the outset than one would get wines of class, balance and terrior definition.
Ten years on, when I last made a comprehensive survey, the wines were approaching their prime, and there were a few critics who found the wines a little austere. They were misled. A little reserve in a young wine is not just a good thing, but an essential ingredient in a wine of quality and ability to age with dignity. Certainly there were a few wines which were a little lean. But this represented a small minority, and was confined to lesser wines of the Côte de Beaune. The vast majority of the 1988s I sampled then were delicious or potentially delicious.
Today the vintage is 20 years old. As you might expect there are some lesser wines which are showing a bit of age. They have lost the charming aspect of their fruit. Their acidity is beginning to take over.
The first session of three – the first 30 or so of the wines we lasted, largely premiers crus – was a bit underwhelming. But the remaining two offered a great deal of satisfaction. The standard was very high indeed. The only downside was a handful of corked wines. As Sod's Law will have it, the cork problem affected some of the great wines of the vintage: Richebourg from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Musigny from Vogüé, Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-Jacques from Rousseau.........
The tasting took place in Guilford, Connecticut, at the end of March 2008. All the wines came from our own cellars. My thanks to all who contributed bottles. Next year we shall do 1989. Subsequently, at my ten-year-on tasting of the 1998s in June, some growers brought samples of their 1988s for us to taste. Sadly, Sod's Law again, none of the duplicates were of bottles corked in in Connecticut. I have added these notes as well.
VILLAGE AND PREMIERS CRUS
Auxey-Duresses, Les Clous, Domaine Leroy.
Medium, mature colour. Nicely animal and gamey on the nose. Fresh and vigorous.
Classy. Holding up well. Very good for what it is. Drink soon. 15.0 (out of 20).
Savigny-lès-Beaune, La Dominode, Domaine Bruno Clair.
Medium colour. Really quite rich and profound on the nose. Still very fresh. Medium
body. A lot of depth. Fatter at the end than on the attack.Very good. Now-2012. 16.0.
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Gravins, Domaine Jean-Marc Pavelot.
Medium body. Fresh ripe and full of charm. Not a blockbuster, but balanced and elegant.
very good. Drink soon. 16.0
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Marconnets, Domaine Simon Bize.
Ripe and spicy on the nose. Similar on the palate. Plenty of charm and succulence. Good
fruit. Medium body. Still very fresh. Very good. Now-2012. 16.0
Beaune, Les Bressandes, Maison Camile Giroud.
Beginning to show a little age. Ripe, but now soft and even a little astringent. But stylish
and fruity. Good plus. Drink soon. 15.5.
Beaune, les Bressandes, Domaine Albert Morot.
Medium colour. Attractive, succulent nose. Medium to medium-full body. Fresh, ripe and
balanced. Long on the palate. Good plus. Now-2012. 15.0.
Beaune, Les Boucherottes, Domaine Pothier-Rieusset.
Past its best.
Beaune, Les Cent Vignes, Domaine Albert Morot.
Light to medium colour. Ripe fresh and caramelly sweet on the nose, but on the palate
rather more advanced than the Bressandes. Needs drinking soon. Was good. Now only
13.0.
Beaune, Les Cras, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine du Château du Chorey.
Dry and vegetal on the nose. Slight astringency on the palate. Showing a little age. But
decent, quite elegant fruit still. Quite good. Drink soon. 14.0.
Beaune, Les Reversées, Domaine Jean-Marc Boulay.
Medium-full colour. Fullish, meaty nose. Medium-full body. Astringent and four-square.
Unexciting. Drink soon. 11.0.
Beaune, Les Teurons, Domaine du Château du Chorey.
Rich and rather more succulent than the Cras. Medium to medium-full body. Good
energy and style. Very good plus. Now-2012. 16.5.
Beaune, Clos des Ursules, Domaine Louis Jadot.
Quite evolved now, but not a bit dried out. Medium body. Balanced and succulent.
Stylish and charming. Very good plus. Now-2013. 16.5.
Volnay, Les Caillerets, Domaine Jean-Marc Boulay.
Very good colour. Full on the nose. Quite rich and meaty, but fresh and plump, unlike the
above. Again a litle four-square (Boulay used to use too large a proportion of new oak)
but good. Now-2012. 15.0.
Volnay, Les Caillerets, Clos des 60 Ouvrées, Domaine de la Pousse d''Or.
Medium-full colour. Soft, mellow, fragrant, classy nose. Medium-full body. Laid back,
complex, lovely fruit in the slightly lean 1988 way. But real depth and finesse. Fine.
Now-2015. 17.5.
Volnay, Les Champans, Domaine Hubert de Montille.
Fine colour, still very fresh. Refined, cool, classy nose. Lovely fruit. Fullish body.
Vigorous. Balanced. Succulent finish. Very good plus. Now-2015. 16.5.
Volnay, Clos des Chènes, Domaine Michel Lafarge.
Good colour. Full, vigorous nose. Lots of energy. Lots of depth. This is very lovely.
Fragrant, energetic, ample and succulent. Very fine fruit. balanced and long on the palate.
Fine. Now-2015. 17.5.
Volnay, Les Mitans, Domaine Hubert de Montille.
Medium-full colour. Still fresh. Most attractive fruit on the nose. But a little more age
that the Champans on the palate. Good, but drink soon. 15.0.
Volnay, Les Taillepieds, Domaine Hubert de Montille.
Full, vigorous colour. Lovely pure succulent Pinot Noir fruit on the nose. A fine, fullish,
complex, mature wine on the palate. Now-2014. 17.0.
Volnay, Les Santenots du Milieu, Domaine des Comtes Lafon.
Magnum. Full, rich, quite four-square nose. A fat, meaty wine with plenty of substance.
Good fruit and vigour, but without the depth and elegance of today. Very good plus.
Now-2015. 16.5.
Pommard, Les Epenots, Domaine Pothier-Rieusset.
Past its best.
Pommard, Grand Clos des Epenots, Domaine de Courcel.
Very full, vigorous, rich colour. Fullish, plump, fresh nose. Good depth here. A meaty
wine. On the palate fullish body, good grip, nicely gamey in character. Finishes
positively. Drink quite soon, nevertheless. Good plus. 15.5.
Pommard, Les Pezerolles, Maison Camille Giroud.
Fullish colour. Lovely fruit on the nose. Rich and fat. Generous and plump. Fullish body.
Lots of fruit. Still very fresh. Long and classy. Very good indeed. Now-2015. 17.0.
Pommard, Les Rugiens, Domaine Hubert de Montille.
Fullish, vigorous colour. Good nose, but a bit more evolved than his Volnay, Champans.
Medium-full body. Balanced, long and classy. Very good indeed. Drink quite soon. 17.0.
Pommard, Les Rugiens, Domaine Jean-Marc Boulay.
Good, full colour. Lumpy, four square solid and astringent. Ungainly. Fair at best. Drink
up. 13.0.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Boudots, Domaine Jean Tardy.
Medium-full, well developed colour. Aromatic nose. Soft and oaky. Medium-full body.
Ripe. No great depth and finesse, but long and complex and still vigorous. Very good.
Now-2017. 16.0.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Cailles, Domaine Alain Michelot.
Fullish colour. Ripe, profound, classy nose. Lots of depth here. Fullish body.
Harmonious. Intense. Very good plus. Now-2017. 16.5.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Chaignots, Domaine Dr. Georges Mugneret.
Full colour. Fullish, quite firm, abundantly fruity nose. Very good style and grip. Fullish
body. Quite fat, but with a 1988 reserve. Vigorous, plenty of depth, but lacks a little real
elegance. Plenty of life ahead of it, though. Very good indeed. Now- 2015. 17.0.
Hospices de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Murgers, Cuvée Guignard de Changey.
Bottled by Albert Bichot.
Full, vigorous colour. Well matured on the nose and on the palate. This is beginning to
crack up and lose its fruit. Drink now.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Hauts Pruliers, Domaine Daniel Rion.
Full, vigorous colour. Fresh nose. Attractive fruit on the palate. Fullish body. Good marks
for its energy; slightly less for its finesse. Very good. Now-2020. 16.0.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Perrières, Maison Camille Giroud.
Full, vigorous colour. Complex, classy, mature Pinot fruit on the nose. Fullish body.
Gamey and spicy.Fat and rich. Long. Very good indeed. Now-2015. 17.0.
Hospices de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Saint-Georges, Cuvée des Sires de Vergy,
Georges Faiveley. Bottled by Albert Bichot.
Full, vigorous colour. Ripe and gingerbread-spicy on the nose. Medium-full body.
Attractive, indeed stylish on the palate, but lacks a bit of complexity and energy. Very
good at best. Now-2012. 16.0.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vaucrains, Domaine Henri Gouges.
Rich, ripe and classy on the nose. Medium-full body. This is vigorous and quite delicious.
Very good grip, concentration and harmony. Fine. Now-2018. 17.5.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vaucrains, Domaine Alain Michelot.
Medium-full, well matured colour. More matured and now of much less interest than his
Cailles. Yet it still has a decent freshness. Medium body. Still good. Drink soon. 15.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaux-Monts, Domaine Leroy.
Fresh, medium-full colour. Fragrant nose: ripe and stylish. Medium to medium-full body.
Elegant, harmonious and intense. Lovely fruit. Very clean and pure. This is fine plus.
Now-2012. 18.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaumonts, Maison Camille Giroud.
Fresh, medum-full colour. Black fruit nose. Lots of energy. Full body. Quite sturdy.
Good depth and balance, but it could have had a bit more finesse. Very good. Now-
2012.16.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Chaumes, Domaine Jean Tardy.
Fresh, medium colour. Mellow nose. More alive than his Boudots. Medium weight.
Stylish. Similar on the palate. It lacks a bit of dimension at the end, but harmonious and
attractive. Very good indeed. Now-2012. 17.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Gaudichots, Domaine Thierry Vigot-Battault.
Fresh medium colour. Decent fruit but a bit earthy on the nose. Medium to medium-full
body. Slightly rigid but good fruit here. Balanced but rather pedestrian. Good plus. (It
was brilliant in cask, which was why I bought a case; but it has never lived up to this
early promise. A lesson for all of us.) Now-2012. 15.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Clos de Réas, Domaine Jean Gros.
Medium colour. Lovely soft, mellow, oaky nose. Very intense, classy and fresh. A wine
of no great size, but very subtle and complex, very profound. Lots of energy and real
finesse. Splendid finish. Very fine. Now-2015. 18.5.
Vosne-Romanée, La Grande Rue, Domaine Lamarche.
Medium-full colour, still youthful. Ripe, stylish and quite profound on the nose. Nicely
fresh and not a bit austere. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe tannins and plenty of
enegy and class. But overall a lack of generosity. Very good at best. Now-2015. 16.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Domaine Jacky Confuron-Cotetidot.
Medium-full colour. Very fragrant, elegat nose. Good intensity. Medium-full body. Ripe,
sweet, rich and stylish. Long on the palate. Fine plus. Now-2015. 18.0.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Domaine Jean Grivot.
Vigorous, medium-full colour. Lovely nose. Rich, fullish and profound. Complex fruit
and nut flavours. Fullish body. Youthful. Rich. Lots of depth. Very fine. Now-2020. 18.5.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Domaine Gérard Mugneret.
Medium-full colour. Soft, aromatic nose. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe on the
attack, but then a suspicion of astringency. Lacks the dimension of the best of these
Voses. But elegant and still good at the end. Very good. Now-2012. 16.0.
Chambolle-Musigny, Maison Joseph Faiveley.
Full but well-matured colour. Soft, fragrant, ripe, naturally sweet nose. Medium weight.
Most attractive for a village wine. Now-2012. 16.0.
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Amoureuses, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Very vigorous, mature colour. Very lovely nose. Fragrant, complex and very classy. Very
Chambolle. Medium-full body. Rich and ripe, sweet and fragrant. Long and complex.
Very fine. Now-2012. 18.5.
Morey-Saint-Denis, Domaine Dujac.
Well matured colour. A bit corked. Getting a little astringent anyway. Past its best.
Morey-Saint-Denis, Clos Des Ormes, Maison Joseph Faiveley.
Good medium-full colour. Ripe, rich, vigorous nose. Good depth and class. Fullish,
fragrant, stylish. A lovely sweet finish. Long. Fine plus. Now-2015. 18.0.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Alain Burguet.
Fullish colour. Somewhat funky nose, revealed on the palate as a wine which is
approaching its end. Fullish body. Ripe fruit. But suspicions of astringency. Not as good
as ten years ago. Drink soon. 15.0.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Christian Serafin.
Fullish, vigorous colour. Ripe, oaky, succulent nose. Fullish body. Fresh. Very lovely
pure fruit. Very good plus. Now-2012. 16.5.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Prieur, Domaine Thierry Mortet.
Good colour. Ripe, meaty nose if without much finesse. Better on the palate. Good ripe
fruit and good grip. Quite rich. vigorous. Long. Very good indeed. Now-2015. 17.0.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, Domaine Bruno Clair.
Medium colour. Quite evolved. This has lost its vigour and a bit if its fruit. Not much left
except echoes of an elegant wine when it was in its prime. Drink up.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, Domaine Philippe Naddef.
Full, vigorous colour. A big wine. But corked.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, Domaine Denis Mortet.
A bit dull, basically. Decent fruit. Medium to medium-full body. Quite fresh and
balanced, but no individuality or finesse. Good at best. Drink soon. 15.0.
Gevrey-Chambertin, La Combe Aux Moines, Domaine Philippe Leclerc.
Very full, well-matured colour. Old, spicy and stemmy on the nose. No finesse at all.
Medium to medium-full body. Astringent and edgy on the palate. Was always pretty
poor. Now undrinkable.
Gevrey-Chambertin, La Combe Aux Moines, Domaine René Leclerc.
Lightish colour. Nothing much on the nose. Loose-knit. Weak. Not astringent. But an
empty wine without any flair at all. Poor. Drink up.
There should be a law preventing incompetents such as the Leclerc brothers from making wine from such illustrious vineyards!
Gevrey-Chambertin, Aux Combottes, Domaine Dujac.
Medium-full colour. Ripe, classy nose; soft but vigorous. Medium to medium-full body.
Good intensity. High class fruit. Fine. Now-2012. 17.5.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Fontenys, Domaine Joseph Roty.
Full, very vigorous colour. Slightly over-extracted nose. Fullish. No undue astringency.
Rich, concentrated and meaty. Holding up well. Not the greatest of finesse but very good
indeed. Now-2015. 17.0.
GRANDS CRUS
Corton, Clos de Meix, Domaine Senard.
Soft and sweet on the nose and on the palate. It lacks depth and flair. But it is still
reasonably fresh. Quite good at best. Drink soon. 14.0.
Corton; Les Maréchaudes, Domaine Chandon de Briailles.
Slightly stemmy but decent vigour and class. Easy to drink. A little sweet. Quite good.
Drink Soon. 14.0.
Hospices de Beaune, Corton, Cuvée Dr. Peste.
Jean-Marie de Champs.
Medium colour. Well matured. Quite vigorous but more earthy than sophisticated on the
nose. Medium-full body. Decent fruit. Good grip. Plenty of life ahead of it. Better on the
palate than appeared at first on the nose. More depth. Vert good plus. Now 2015. 16.5.
Echézeaux, Domaine Robert Jayer-Gilles.
Medium-full colour. Ample, fresh, Vigorous nose. Plump and plummy; no undue oak. On
the palate slightly four-square. Good grip. But very god at best. Now-2012. 16.0.
Echézeaux, Domaine Gérard Mugneret.
Soft nose. Some age now. It has lost a bit of its grip. Pretty fruit. Medium body. Getting
astringent. Drink up.
Echezéaux, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret.
Medium-full colour. Coarse nose, jammy, extracted and stemmy. Medium body. The
acidity shows now. No class. Poor. Drink up. 12.0.
Echézeaux, Maison Roland Remoissenet, Père et Fils.
Medium-full colour. Pretty, fragrant but rather superficial nose. Neither dimension, depth
or vigour. Medium body. Decent fruit but no personality. Quite good at best. Now-2012.
14.0.
Echézeaux, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Medium-full colour. Lovely classy fruit on the nose. Ripe and complex. Easily the best of
these Echézeaux. Medium to medium-full body. Balanced, stylish, intense and vigorous.
Long and subtle. Fine plus. Now-2015. 18.0.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine Engel.
Medium colour. Complex, classy, intense nose. Still very fresh. Medium to medium-full
body. Balanced, fragrant, subtle and very lovely on the palate. Profound and vigorous
without being a blockbuster. Very fine. Now-2015. 18.5.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Medium colour. Soft nut intense, very elegant nose. Medium to medium-full body. Very
lovely fruit and very fine grip. Vigorous and concentrated, but very Drouhin, very
Chambolle. Long. Lots of class. Fine quality.Can still be kept. Now-2015. 17.5.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine du Clos Frantin.
Medium colour. Spicy nose. Good weight and depth. Good fruit. Medium-full body.
Good grip. Balanced and stylish, and very good indeed. Long and positive at the end.
Now-2015. 17.0.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur.
Medium-full colour. Quite evolved. A little pretty and superficial on the nose. Better on
the palate. Good classy fruit and a good positive finish. Not great but very good plus.
Now-2012. 16.5.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret.
Medium-full colour. Four-square, lumpy, somewhat stewed nose. Better than their
Echézeaux but no harmony or quality. Drink soon. 13.0.
Grands-Echézeaux, Maison Roland Remoissenet Père et Fils.
Medium colour. Good nose. There is quality here. Much better than his Echézeaux, but
this is from the domaine of Dr. Thénard, with whom Remoissenet has a contract (or at
least first refusal). Good fruit and depth, profound and balanced. Good fruit. Long. Fine.
Now-2015. 17.5.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Medium-full colour. Very fresh still, on the nose. Lots of depth and dimension. Still very
youthful on the palate. Pure, rich, very, very, elegant. Very lovly fruit. Spendid long
finish. Now-2107. 18.5.
Clos de Vougeot, 'Musigni', Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur.
Medium colour. Soft, fragrant, arractive and classy on the nose. Good weight and vigour.
Getter than his Grands-Echézeaux. Good weight and vigour. Rich, fresh, long and
profound. Fine. Now-2015. 17.5.
Clos de Vougeot, Domaine Méo-Camuzet.
Medium-full colour. Soft nose; I would have prefered it to have a bit more weight.
Medium body. Pretty but a bit superficial. Not short though. Good plus at best. Now-
2012. 15.5.
Richebourg, Domaine Jean Grivot.
Full colour. Firm nose. Very, very concentrated. Rich and youthful. Still very young on
the palate. Full body. Marvelous structure and depth here. Great vigour and intensity.
Multi-dimensional. Intellectual rather than seductive. Excellent. Now-2017. 19.5.
Richebourg, Domaine Jean Gros.
Medium to medium-full colour. Marvelous nose. Full, fragrant, absolutely saturated with
fruit. This is quite brilliant. Full body, Vigorous, complete. Excellent fruit. Real finesse.
Very, very lovely. Very, very seductive. A great wine. Now-2017. 20.0.
Richebourg, Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur.
Medium-full colour. Good nose. But not the depth and class of the Gros or Grivot.
Fullish. Very good grip. Lovely fruit, nevertheless. Fine but not great. Yet there is an
impressive intensity here. (The vines were youthful at the time, but you can see the terroir
pushing through.) Now-2017. 17.5.
Richebourg, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Medium-full colour. Sadly the wine is corked. But there is very lovely, beutifully
galanced fruit here. I'd guess (and based on past bottles), at least 19.0.
La Tache, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Good colour. profound nose. Lots and lots of depth.Full, intense, youthful and
concentrated. This is really very classy. Excellent harmony. A great wine. Now-2020.
20.0.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Guy Castagnier.
Medium, mature colour. Ripe and sturdy but slightly four-square on the nose. An absence
of finesse. On the palate medium-full body, at least decent style. Quite good fruit. Good
plus. Now-2012. 15.5.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Medium-full colour. Elegant, fragrant, Chambolle-ish nose, but slightly less distincion
than their Amoureuses. Medium to medium-full body. Good fresh acidity. Plump
redcurrant and raspberry fruit. Fresh, balanced and intense. Fine plus. Now-2013. 18.0.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Dujac.
Medium colour. Fragrant nose. Ripe and rich and very Dujac. Excellent balance and
freshness. Very stylish. Medium weight. Complex. Very long. Fine plus. Now-2012.
18.0.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Louis Jadot.
Medium-full colour. Full, rich, concentrated, complex and cool on the nose. Lots of depth
here. Full body. Very velvety-smooth. Clearly Bonnes Mares rather than Musigny. Rich,
profound and energetic. Very classy, very long, very lovely. Now-2017. 18.5.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Georges Roumier.
Fullish colour. Fullish, firm nose, still quite backward. Lots of energy. Cool, complex and
very vigorous. Full, profound and multi-dimensional. Very fine indeed. Now-2017. 19.5.
Bones Mares, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé.
Medium full colour. Marvelous nose. A splendid expression of pure Pinot Noir fruit. Not
as big a wine as Jadot or Roumier. Medium-full body. Ripe, balanced and very lovely.
Some marked tannin originally, but this now well absorbed. Long, complex and with
great finesse. Very fine indeed. Now-2017. 19.5.
Musigny, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé.
Medium-full colour. Badly corked.
Clos des Lambrays, Domaine des Lambrays.
Very soft, even ephemeral on the nose. Slightly astringent at the end. Elegant but a bit too
light. Good plus. Drink soon. 15.5.
Clos Saint-Denis, Domaine Ponsot.
Fullish, well-matured colour. Aromatic nose. Good class and depth. Still very fresh.
Medium-full body: ripe, balanced, individual and profound. Long and complex. Fine
plus. Now-2013. 18.0.
Clos de la Roche, Maison Pierre Bourée.
Good colour. Earthy nose. No class. Raw and tannic and ungainly. No! Drink up.
Clos de la Roche, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Medium-full colour. Fully mature. Fresh, fragrant, stylish nose. Very Drouhin. Lovely
Chambolle fruit. Medium to medium-full body. Ripe, balanced, intense and classy. Long.
Very fine. Now-2013. 18.5.
Clos de la Roche, Domaine Dujac.
Medium colour. Fully mature. Very ample, fragrant, spicy nose with a touch of natural
sweetness. Nothing reticent here! Medium body. Complex and intense. Splendid balance
and integration. Fine plus. Now-2013. 18.0.
Clos de la Roche, Domaine Joseph Faiveley.
Medium-full colour. Fullish, rich, vigorous nose. Medium-full body. A certain rigidity.
But very good fruit and very good grip. Long and positive. Fine but not great. Now-2013.
17.5.
Clos de la Roche, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium to medium-full colour. Mellow, classy, ripe nose. Most attractive. Medium to
medium-full body. Lovely fruit. Very complete. Fat, rich and ample. Excellent grip.
Lovely finish. Very fine. Now-2013.18.5.
Clos de Tart, Domaine du Clos de Tart.
Good depth and vigour. Ripe and meaty and with plenty of grip. Fullish. Rich. Long.
Very good indeed. Now-2014. 17.0.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Denis Bachelet.
Very lovely nose. Plump and ripe and succulent. Lots of depth and quality here. Intense
and classy, though not a great deal of vigour now. Fine but not great. Drink soon. 17.5.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Dujac.
Medium to medium-full colour. Fully matured. Lovely aromatic nose. Richer, firmer,
fuller and cooler than the Clos de la Roche. Fullish body. Very stylish. Good grip. Rich
and vigorous. Not as sexy on the attack (as the Clos de la Roche) but very fine at the end.
Now-2015. 18.5.
Charmes-Chambertin, Maison Moillard.
Full color. Slightly four-square if not inky nose. Fullish body. Good grip. Decent fruit,
but a little over-extracted and classless. Drink soon. 14.0.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Maume.
Medium-full, fresh colour. Cool, classy nose. Not a bit funky. Balanced. Rich. Very good
depth. One of Maume's more civilised efforts. Fullish body. Vigorous, balanced, stylish,
profound and youthful. Fine. Now-2015. 17.5.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium-full, fresh colour. This is a bt strange. Medium body. Soft and sweet. Quite
evolved. It is never, compared with the rest of Rousseau's wines, ever really exciting. But
it should have more distinction than this. Good at best. Drink quite soon. 15.0.
Charmes-Chambertin; Domaine Christian Sérafin.
Ample, rich but quite evolved nose. Medium weight. Good grip. Rich and succulent.
Fine. Now-2011. 17.5.
Chapelle-Chambertin, Domaine Trapet Père et Fils.
Quite vigorous on the nose, if without the class of the 1998. Good fruit and depth.
Medium to medium-full body. Rich and ripe, fresh and balanced. Very good indeed.
Now-2015. 17.0.
Latricières-Chambertin, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Medium-full colour. Ample nose. Ripe, rich and slightly spicy. Quite sizeable. Good grip.
Medium-full body. Classy, balanced, virile and seductive. Fresh, long. Fine plus. Now-
2018. 18.0.
Latricières-Chambertin, Domaine Newman.
Medium colour. No great depth or class on the nose. But nothing rustic. Just a bit neutral.
Medium-full body. Still fresh. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing noteworthy about it
either. Very good at best. Now-2012. 16.0.
Griottes-Chambertin, Domaine Frédérick Esmonin.
Medium-full colour. Fresh, quite meaty nose, a little hidden at first. Nice, cool stylish
fruit. Fullish, rich and balanced. Ripe. Very good grip. Not brilliant but intense and fine.
Now-2013. 17.5.
Griottes-Chambertin, Domaine Ponsot.
Medium-full colour. Individual, classy, and fragrant on the nose. Medium-full weight.
Complex and harmonious on the palate. Very lovely, intense fruit. Very, very long. Very
fine. Now-2013. 18.5.
Mazy-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium-full colour. Slightly closed-in on the nose. Fuller, firmer and richer than the
Ruchottes. More tannin. Very good depth and concentration. Still very vigorous. Most
impressive. Very fine plus. Now-2015. 19.0.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-Jacques, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium-full colour. Corked. Nevertheless one can see the depth, richness and quality
one would expect. Full body. Very lovely beautifully balanced fruit. Very fine indeed.
Now-2015. 19.5.
Ruchottes-Chambertin, Domaine Dr. Georges Mugneret.
Impressive nose. Very lovely fruit here. Concentrated and still very vigorous. Good, full-
bodied energetic wine. Very good grip. Long and classy. Very fine plus. Now-2015. 18.0.
Ruchottes-Chambertin, Clos des Ruchottes, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium-full colour. Discreetly classy, cool fruit on the nose. Laid back and understated.
Medium to medium-full weight. Slight austerity here but long and subtle. Fine plus.
Now-2014. 18.0.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Bruno Clair.
Medium to medium-full colour. Fragrant nose. Soft but vigorous. Profound, classy; lots
of depth here. Medium-full body. Lovely, complex fruit. Long, subtle, and very, very
elegant. Very fine finish. Now-2015. 19.5.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Louis Jadot.
Medium-full colour. Rich, full, profound and succulent on the nose. Medium-full body.
Excellent fruit. Real finesse. Lots of energy. Very good grip. This has a splendid finish.
Now-2015. 19.5.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Medium-full colour. Very lovely nose; Full and rich and very, very complex. Excellent
depth, class and harmony. Fullish body. Ripe, rich, and silky-smooth. Very pure and
fresh. Fuller and mellower than Jadot and Bruno Clair. Very lovely. Now-2015. 19.5.
Chambertin, Maison Pierre Bourée.
Good colour. Pedestrian nose. Lumpy and inky. Not too dreadful on the palate, but a
distinct lack of class and harmony. Getting edgy at the end. Drink soon. 13.0. at best.
Chambertin, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.
Good colour. Fragrant nose. Lovely fruit but feminine for a Chambertin. Very Drouhin.
Does it lack a bit of strength? Lovely fruit here. Harmonious and elegant. But for a
Chambertin it lacks a little depth. Fine plus. Now-2012. 18.0.
Chambertin, Maison Camille Giroud.
Good colour. Ample, full and rich, but not very distinguished on the nose. Too lumpy.
Fullish. Decent grip. Nice fat fruit and not too bad a follow through, but very good at
best. Now-2012. 16.0.
Chambertin, Domaine Louis Jadot.
Good colour. A bit corked on the nose. Yet full bodied, studry and full of fruit. But it
doesn't seem to have the distinction of their Clos de Bèze. To be seen again.
Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau.
Good colour. As so often, totally brilliant. Full, rich, marvelous concentration. Ripe,
complex and very, very, classy. Splendid vigour, harmony and dimension. A great wine.
Now-2018. 20.0.
An edited version of this article appears in the World of Fine Wine, issue 21.