Tasted in Gevrey-Chambertin with Cyrielle Rousseau, 18 October 2022.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
1 Rue de l’Aumônerie
21220 Gevrey-Chambertin
Tel: +33 3 80 34 30 55
www.domaine-rousseau.com
More reports with Domaine Armand Rousseau
Cyrielle, on 2022:
“A good vintage this year. And we enjoyed the harvest. ”
Cyrielle, on 2021:
“About half a harvest – it’s the lowest that I have seen. It’s certainly less than in 2016 when we weren’t so badly affected by the frost. It was like the seven plagues of Egypt – and you can add the birds and the dear to that! At least the fermentations went as normal, the alcohols came in at 13-13.5°…”
The wines…
A fine range – very elegant on this day – but for the last wines there’s an obvious jump. On this day the Bèze wonderfully besting the Chambertin. Cyrielle commenting “Yes, in cool years the Chambertin seems a smaller wine and it’s the Bèze that shows itself more impressively.”
Cyrielle plans to rack the wines at the end of February and ‘bottle when they are ready!’
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin
Seven different lieu-dits assembled. There’s always a little 1er cru in this too – 10-15%
Good freshness, there’s aromatic purity too. Direct, fine. Beautifully mouth-watering. I like!
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacques
More towards Varoilles
A broader, fuller nose, lots of interest here – thats really lovely. Supple but no fat, mineral, fine structure. That’s clearly next level from the villages and absolutely delicious – I love the finesse again.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
Less width but more depth and density to this nose, almost a texture to this depth of aroma. Supple, fine acidity, saline, a really mouth-watering drink. Versus the previous two I’d give this a little more patience but all can be drunk today, tonight even!
2021 Charmes-Chambertin
A calmer width, very attractive and becoming finely pure too. Fresh, growing in mouth-watering width. Fine red berries. Modest density for a garnd cru but not lacking any interest – it’s delicious! The last drops on the glass almost a touch of tobacco!
2021 Mazy-Chambertin
A little firework reduction here. Silky aromatics but not fully open to start, with air there’s more dark berry precision coming to the fore. Width again, mouth-watering with fresh flavour energy. Also not a wine of impact but one of very fine balance, again I absolutely love the finishing personality – so good!
2021 Clos de la Roche
‘I call this Jean-Paul after the robots of JP Gautier,’ laughs Cyrielle.
Also, a faint reduction but here is extra width and depth of aroma – darker fruit. Mineral, mobile, growing in flavour energy again, framed with a tiny grain of tannin. Structure but nothing hard or harsh – ‘It’s clos de la roche.’ Long and satisfying, never shouting. Another beauty!
I confide in Cyrielle that this is usually my favourite wine at the domaine ‘It’s my favourite too – it’s where my roots are!’
As many here, a very faint reduction today, slowly broadening and offering more – indeed the most of any so far! Airy but not lacking impact, a faint tannin again – but faint. Width and such a satisfying finale. I love…
Yes, its Rousseau that have the most soil to return up the hill following the rain-storm in this 22 vintage.
A more intense width of aroma – less in place today but slowly becoming more floral. Hmm, here is a properly incisive start, fluid and mineral – the chance for great here, just be patient – 10-15 years as a starting-point.
Faintly reductive again but here is more aromatic volume. An extra concentration but with perfect balance. So juicily delicious – saftig! Larger scale on the finish then slowly fading. Thats showing very well today.
Like the Chambertin but even more aromatic width – such a silky width too. The combination of structure and juicy melting flavour is addictive here. So complex and great – the concentration is not requested or needed – but it’s there anyway. Depth to this flavour, with many creamy accents. Properly great wine today.