Medium cherry-red. The first sniff is of herbs – bouquet garni – slowly a depth builds that’s edged with vanilla, the fruit is never really dominant. Sweet, nicely concentrated, a leading edge of acidity that’s close to being balanced. A little oak flavour and quite a lot of vanilla (oak) flavour. Actually too much for me, despite how long that flavour lingers. Slightly better on day two, but it still smells and tastes too much like ice-cream right now. No concern here about the mid-term, but that’s two 07 Chambolles in a row that have their early drinking promise compromised by their oak treatment.
Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
2007 Boisset Jean-Claude Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
2007 Chézeaux Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
Medium colour. The nose is intense red fruit, slightly dried and creamy cranberry in aspect. Lovely freshness, depth without overt concentration and impressive dimension(s) of fruit in the mid-palate. Even without real intensity I’m rather smitten – the complexity is enough! Nice length, the last few drops in the glass provide a gorgeous redcurrant aroma – really super!
2006 Gambal Alex Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
The colour is a medium, medium-pale lemon-yellow. Dense, though not lush, aromas that are supported with citrus fruit elements. In the mouth it’s round with nice concentration and in the mid-palate shows the typical extra dimension of this cuvée. It’s fair to say that (in the 2006 vernacular) that this is a little plump, but the acidity is enough that it doesn’t become wearisome. Nice length. Another good showing.
2006 Chézeaux Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
A relatively pale young wine – medium cherry-red colour. The nose is quite tight – some depth but little width, only slowly does a little definition and a pure red note start to build, eventually there’s also a floral aspect. Super texture, the tannin slowly builds in the mouth to give a little ripple of grain, astringency and also a little bitterness. Acidity is finely balanced and there is very good intensity to the fruit, fruit that seems to become sweeter with time. Not completely full of ‘charm’ at this stage, but everything is in place – wait at least 5 years before returning.
2006 Gambal Alex Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
2005 Gambal Alex Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
Deep cherry-red colour. The nose is a lovely layered effort with faintly perfumed top-notes and a soft core of dark fruit. In the mouth there is well submerged structure but it’s under lovely concentrated and relatively deep fruit that widens in the mid-palate before impressively lingering in the finish. Plenty of dry extract here that will reward patience.
2005 Boisset Jean-Claude Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
The vines are ~50 years old, everything has been changed in the last 5 years – even the training from Guyon to Cordon Royat – zero herbicides and grass allowed to grow in the rows. Freshly opened the nose is a little unfocused; slowly it relaxes, opening to become creamier without ever getting into top gear. The palate is about understated elegance coupled to excellent length. Despite that, it’s a very well muscled wine below the perfectly tailored presentation. Super, but not over-achieving within the vintage to the same extent as the 2004 did.
2004 Rion Michele & Patrice Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red. The nose is quintessential Chambolle – or at least many peoples’ expectation – soft, sweet red fruit with the faintest savoury edge; it’s very pretty. Versus the domaine’s 04 Argillières there is more depth, intensity and extra ripeness. The tannins are fully covered. The acidity still has a little tartness, but this also helps hold the fresh flavours of the mouth-watering finish. The oak has much better integration here – lovely wine.