Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

2001 Esmonin Frédéric Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on April 30, 2009 #asides

A medium-plus, young, ruby-red colour. The nose is a beauty; superb depth, remnants of dark oak, wide notes of turned soil, baked bread and a slightly peppery dark fruit. Slowly but surely a soft red fruit note builds in the glass, the last drops showing a super-precise and penetrating redcurrant perfume. In the mouth this is full, velvety and still shows quite some oak flavour. There’s a little high-toned ‘mouth perfume’ and a very long bitter chocolate and oak finish. To dwell on the oak would be to ignore waves of fruit flavour that wash across the mid-palate, not to mention another burst of flavour before moving into the finish. Clearly a very young wine, but it just oozes class; that it was bought en-primeur for less than most premier crus of 2005-2007 makes me love it all the more. Really, really super.

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2007 Bichot Albert Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2009 #asides

Aromas that are wide and complex yet never heavy – almost a salty impression. Super fullness, gorgeous fruit, more tannin. serious, indeed profound – a little mineral too. It’s hard to source great Chambertin and Bèze outside of vintages like 2005 – but here is one.

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1964 Protheau François Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2009 #asides

The ’sample’ was medium-pale and slightly brown looking, but when it caught the sun the colour was pure ruby-red at the core. The nose is superbly clean for an old’un; a little turned soil and beef stock against sweet, decaying leaves – much nicer than it sounds. Bright acidity (like every ‘64 I’ve tasted) is on display, but somehow with ‘cut’ and focus. Linear, tannin-free, very mineral and subtly long – though it certainly won’t win any prizes in this area. Six hours on the nose has a faint but appealing volatile edge, otherwise it’s as steady as a rock. Texturally the wine fills out a little – perhaps it’s a (warmer) temperature effect – moderating the acidity just a little, it also seems just a little more intense and long, though certainly there’s now a metallic edge to the flavour. It didn’t fade a bit over 3 hours (so that’s 9 in total) of drinking.

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2006 Clair Bruno Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on November 30, 2008 #asides

Medium, medium-plus colour. Tight again – hard to get at the aromas. In the mouth I think it lacks a little focus, but the dimension and complexity are easy to see. Less obviously forward and ‘brusque’ as the Clos St.Jacques, but the finish goes on and on…

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2006 Potel Nicolas Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

A step-up in just about every direction. The nose is wide and interesting and the palate delivers both depth and dimension. Like the 2005, this is another super Bèze chez Potel.

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2005 Rousseau Armand Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

Medium, medium-plus colour. High-toned aromatics, some mineral, some greenery and becomes wider and wider – very complex. There’s lots of interest here. The acidity is almost good and together the tannin provides lots of personality. This is a superbly complex wine that I really loved.

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2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is showing rather more dark oak and faint caramel over the darker-hued fruit. Softer and silkier in the mouth – clearly more oak. The acidity is a little more forward than the last wine, but it’s stunningly long finishing – though the flavours are dominated by the same dark barrel notes as from the nose. A lot of buttery oak texture but the wine survives and impresses despite that. Another stunner but I prefer the Faiveley today.

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2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

The same supplier for the last 17 years – so Philippe Prost suggests it can virtually be considered ‘domaine’. Wide and complex if not so deep as Le Corton. In the mouth it’s intense and complex with super acidity and plenty of tannin. It’s very long, though a good proportion of that length is oak derived. Always an excellent bottling.

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2005 Clair Bruno Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze

By on March 31, 2008 #asides

Medium, medium-plus colour. A wide, coffee inflected and soft nose – eventually some lovely red fruit on the nose. The acidity is brighter and makes for a nice burst of interest in the mid-palate and into the finish. There is plenty of tannin but the fruit is a good match.

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