Medium-plus cherry-red. Creme brulee and red fruit presented in a very linear way. Takes a few minutes in the glass to open out, but really starts to shout ‘look at me!’ – mainly barrel influenced notes, coffee in the background too. The palate has an extra ‘fatness’ to the palate vs the Bèze, fireworks here too, they build a little more slowly but to equal effect. It’s hard to make a preference here – it can only be based on stylistic leanings – but today, with fewer barrel artifacts and its more ‘athletic’ pose, I’d take the Bèze.
Rousseau Armand
2002 Rousseau Armand Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze
Medium-plus cherry-red. A wild mix of brambly black fruit and subtle oak toast on the nose, gradually becoming higher toned with a hazelnut-coffee edge. The entry is smooth, then the wine explodes on your palate before slowly shrinking into the very long finish. Lithe and slender in complexion despite the evident concentration. Plenty of fireworks here – a very, very impressive wine.
2002 Rousseau Armand Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. High toned, red and black cherry nose plus a little earthy undercurrent against a creamy oak background. Balanced, fresh and elegant with real intensity. Lovely silky palate. The finish is long with that creamy oak thing still apparent. Very lovely wine – and I mean very!
2002 Rousseau Armand Gevrey-Chambertin
Medium cherry-red colour. The nose soars, high-toned and fresh, with violets and cherry-skinned fruit over toast from the creamy oak base. Some fat, fresh red-shaded fruit on the palate with a creamy texture. This is, at best, only medium weight, but there’s super purity and detail, the fruit is really quite punchy on the mid-palate. I prefer the finish on the 2001 but this presents itself really well – I’ll also buy a couple more of these. One negative from the last drops, the nose becomes quite estery and not that pleasant – quite a contrast to the 2001.
2002 Rousseau Armand Mazy-Chambertin
Medium cherry-red. A quite forward nose of creme brulee tinged red fruit. The palate is just a little more panoramic than the Ruchottes, more explosive too. Actually this wine is heading in too many directions at one time, much less controlled and elegant that the Ruchottes – which I prefer. Again very fine tannins. A very different personality even though the vines are separated by only 50-60 metres. I wouldn’t say no, but given the choice I would go for the Ruchottes.