A Tasting Of The Wines Of The Domaine Armand Rousseau
Rousseau needs little introduction. The domaine is supreme in Gevrey-Chambertin, with sizeable holdings in – in tasting order – village Gevrey, premier cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques and Cazetiers, grands crus in Charmes, Clos de la Roche, Ruchottes and Mazy (as they spell it), premier cru Clos Saint-Jacques, and finally Clos de Bèze and Chambertin itself. At the helm resides the 85 year-old Charles Rousseau. The wine is made by his son Eric.
In April 2008 I was invited by Tom Black of Nashville and his friends to participate in a major retrospective of the Rousseau wines of recent vintages. Here are my notes.
2004 Chambertin
Medum to medium-full colour. Some evolution. Closed nose. Good quality underneath. Fullish body. Ripe. Good backbone and grip. Good depth too, if not exactly succulent. Vigorous at the end. Needs food. Needs time. From 2011.
2003 Chambertin
Medium to medium-full, vigorous colour. Splendid rich nose. Fat, but not a bit midi-ish. Medium-full body. Full, soft, sweet, ripe and stylish. Really quite clssy and quite long on the plate. Very seductive. Ready. Now to 2015.
2002 Charmes
Medium-full colour. Now some maturity. Soft nose. A little sulphur. Sweet and succulent and fruity. Medium body. Round and ripe. Not the greatest of class. But fine and long and softening well. From 2010.
2002 Ruchottes
Medium-full, fresh colour. Ripe, vigorous, classy nose. Lots of depth and energy here. This is the best Ruchottes for some time. Fullish body. Lovely fruit. Balanced and classy. Very fine. From 2012.
2002 Clos Saint-Jacques
Full colour. A little developement. Splendid rich nose. Lots of concentration and depth. Full body. Lovely fruit. Fresh and ripe and complex. Very succulent. Very fine indeed. From 2014.
2002 Clos de Bèze
Full immature colour. Still quite closed on the nose. Profound, rich, full bodied and generous on the palate. Very ripe tannins. Very lovely fruit. Great concentration. Excellent. From 2015.
2002 Chambertin
Full, immature colour. Still a bit closed on the nose, even after the Bèze. Full, rich and concentrated. Still quite a bit of tannin. Today it is the Bèze which sings. But this is also potentially excellent. From 2016.
2001 Mazy
Good colour. Medium weight. Fragrant, elegant and succulent. A small wine but not superficial. Good balance. Positive at the end. Very good indeed. Just about ready. Now to 2015.
2001 Clos Saint-Jacques
Good colour. Vigorous, ripe and with plenty of energy on the nose. More austere than the Chambertin. Better on the palate. Decent substance (fuller than the 2000). Ripe, rich, the tannins mellow. Cool, long, fine, but a slight lack of charm nevertheless. Now to 2016.
2001 Clos de Bèze
Very good colour. Full rich and concentrated on the nose. Quite a step up after the two above. Ripe, fullish body. Lots of depth. This is very fine. A lovely example. From 2011.
2001 Chambertin
Good colour. Some evolution. Refined nose. Only medium weight. But good class and depth. Stylish, ripe fruit. Quietly successful. Long, fresh, elegant and very fine. But quite a different wine from the above. Now to 2017.
2000 Clos Saint-Jacques
Medium colour. Mature. Classy, soft, succulent nose. Medium body. Fresh. Good finesse. Not a blockbuster but good depth and even energy. Long. Fine plus. Now to 2012.
2000 Clos de Bèze
Medium colour. Now mature. Not as much energy and grip as the Clos Saint-Jacques. Seems a bit weak. This is medium bodied. Decently fresh, but rather slight. Somewhat of a disappointment. Drink soon.
2000 Chambertin
Medium to medium-full colour. Now just about mature. This is a lot better than the Bèze. Excellent fruit. Very fine grip. Good vigour and energy, especially for the vintage. Classy, long, and very fine. Just about ready. Now to 2015.
1999 Clos Saint-Jacques
Full colour. Just a touch of maturity. Rich, full, opulent nose. Very lovely fruit on the palate. Fullish body. Ripe tannins. Excellent grip and lots of finesse. Balanced. Fresh and very lovely. Indeed as good as the Bèze. From 2010.
1999 Clos de Bèze
Full, vigorous colour. Fuller than the Chambertin. Richer, Fuller and spicier on the nose. Full body, ample, more evolved on the palate. Fat, rich and opulent. Not as much finesse but very lovely. From 2010.
1999 Chambertin
Fullish, vigorous colour. Fat, rich, succulent nose. Very lovely fruit. Full body. Vigorous. Meaty. Very, very rich. Excellent tannns. Fine grip. This is very, very lovely. Multi-dimensional and very long on the palate. A great wine. From 2015.
1998 Chambertin
Lovely nose. Fresh. Concentrated. Plump. Rich. Medium-full body. Excellent fresh fruit. Finely balanced and harmonious. Long and very classy indeed. From 2012.
1997 Clos Saint-Jacques
Medium-full colour. Still quite fresh. This is quite ripe and sweet and better than the Chambertin. But also without a great deal of depth. Soft but slight. Drink soon.
1997 Chambertin
Medium-full colour. Still quite fresh. Soft nose. Rather thin. Disappointing, even if it was a lesser wine. Drink soon.
1996 Ruchottes
Medium to medium colour. Some development. Ripe, elegant and cool on the nose. Medium to medium-full body. Slightly lean but very classy. Very long. Fine plus. Now to 2015.
1996 Clos Saint-Jacques
Medium to medium-full colour. Some developement. Rich, full and opulent on the nose. Lots of depth. Medium-full body. Very lovely, classy, balanced fruit. Complex and energetic. Very fine. Now to 2020.
1996 Clos de Bèze
Fullish colour. Some developement. Seems richer, fuller and certainly more opulent than the Chmbertin. Still has some tannin to resolve. Lots of depth and energy. Today – perhaps it is the bottles – this is more impressive than the Chambertin. A very lovely wine indeed. From 2011.
1996 Chambertin
Fullish colour. Some developement. Still quite closed on the nose. Firm, full body, very good tannins, but these are not quite resolved at present. Lots of depth, dimension and energy. Very fine. From 2011.
1995 Ruchottes
Medium-full colour. Only just mature. Medium-full body. Slightly lean on both the nose and the palate. Reminds me more of a 1993. Lacks just a little charm. Very good indeed at best. Now to 2012.
1995 Clos Saint-Jacques
Full colour. Only just mature. Rich, fat, surprisingly classy and opulent. Excellent tannins. Fullish body. Very fresh, very harmonious, very long and very lovely. Now to 2020.
1995 Chambertin
Full, vigorous colour. Fat, rich, voluptuous nose. Rich and multi-dimensional. Full body. Still very youthful. Excellent. Will still improve. From 2010.
1993 Clos de la Roche
Medium-full colour. Just about mature. Soft. Gently spicy and fruity on the nose and palate. Medium body. Good grip. Lovely long finish. Fine plus. Now to 2013.
1993 Mazy
Medium-full, mature colour. Rich meaty nose. Good grip. Still slightly lean. But ripe and generous on the palate. Good class, vigour and depth. Medium-full body. Long. Very fine. Now to 2013.
1993 Clos Saint-Jacques
Full colour. Just about mature. Lovely nose. Very fine, classy fruit. Lots of depth and concentration. More austere than the 1995, but more profound. Very lovely fruit at the end. Excellent. Now to 2020.
1993 Chambertin
Full, very vigorous colour. Lovely nose. Rich, full concentrated and classy. Full body. Lots of depth and real dimension. Very, very lovely. A great wine which is better than the 1990 and the 1995.
Now to 2020 plus.
1990 Clos Saint-Jacques
Quite a developed colour. Older than I would have expected on the nose (and older than my own stock). Not much vigour on the palate. Good fruit and grip but without the magic I have enjoyed elsewhere in this wine.
1990 Chambertin
Full, vigorous colour. Rich, full, fat, concentrated nose. Full body. Very lovely fruit. Lots of depth and dimension. Excellent grip. A profound wine which is more Chambertin than 1990. Excellent. Now to 2020 plus.
1989 Clos de Bèze
Full, mature colour. Lovely, ripe, really quite cool fruit on the nose. Very good grip. Fullish body. Concentrated. Slightly spicy. Certainly a little sweet. But lots of vigour and a very fine wine. Now to 2019.
1988 Ruchottes
Good vigorous colour. Quite soft for a 1988 on both nose and palate. Classy fruit. Good substance. As always with this wine just slightly lean, bur elegant and fine plus. Now to 2014.
1988 Chambertin
Full vigorous colour. Splendid nose. Full, rich, concentrated and of very fine quality. Full body. Rich, fat and meaty. Excellent grip. Really fine dept. Very long and complex, and with real class. Very fine indeed. Now to 2018.
1985 Mazy
Full colour. Lovely nose with a touch of coffee. Ripe, round, fullish and complex. Full body. Lovely fruit. A lot of energy still. Really harmonious. Delicious. Now to 2018.
1983 Chambertin
Ful colour. Now undue development. Quite spicy on the nose. Medium-full body. Rich, fat and meaty. This is an individual wine with a lot of interest and dimension. Very good grip. Still plenty of vigour. Now to 2015.
1978 Ruchottes
Well-matured colour. Even a bit old. This is confirmed on the nose and palate. Classy fruit, but now a bit too astringent for comfort. Past its best.
1976 Clos de la Roche
Good full, vigorous colour. Soft, ethereal nose. Lots of style here. Medium body. Ripe and fresh. Balanced and subtle. Lovely finish. Fine quality. Holding up well. Now to 2013.
1976 Clos de Bèze
Good, full, vigorous colour. Quite spicy, but full, rich, sweet and energetic on the nose. Similar on the palate. Lovely fruit and surprisingly fresh and classy. Very fine. Now to 2013.
1969 Charmes
Medium-full, fully mature colour. Fully mature – indeed fading gently – on the nose. But sweet and refined. Medium-full body. Good acidity, which is beginning to take over. Very good plus. Drink soon.