Rousseau

Tasting Notes:
RousseauÕs 2005 Chambertin Ñ assembled from four parcels, three of them in relatively cool, well-ventilated portions of this cru Ñ offers high-toned aromas of plum distillate, tea and marzipan, but on the palate, chalk, raw beef, dried plum, bitter-sweet black fruits and roasted fennel flavors combine for a low-registered richness. This is the creamiest, plushest, most voluminous, and perhaps in the final analysis deepest wine of this yearÕs Rousseau collection, with a savory meatiness, chalky minerality and a well of fruit impossible to plumb at such an early stage in what will certainly be three or more decades of testimony to the true greatness of this famous site. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 97
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Chambertin Clos de Beze offers alluring aromas of licorice, mint, vanilla, plum paste, cherry preserves and rose petals, and seduces the palate with silky, incredibly refined texture and several octaves of fruit, herbal, floral and mineral notes, leading to a reverberative finish in which fruit pit and stony, chalky elements lend a sense of dark, weighty authority and an umami-like, meaty savor promotes uncontrollable salivation. No layering or mixing of metaphors can hope to do justice to the layering and concatenation of flavors on display. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 87
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
With the 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques (which by its position in tastings here the Rousseaus conspicuously rate as grand cru) we arrive at the first wine that is matured in new wood. Pure, sweet, fresh black cherry fruit, marrowy and enveloping carnal richness, mysteriously enticing florality, low-toned, chalky minerality and accents of black tea and star anise are featured in this remarkably seamless wine. Meat, minerals and mystery dominate a finish that is profoundly layered yet preserves sheer palate-cleansing refreshment and positively vibrates with vividly fresh fruit intensity. Rousseau owns around one third of this great site, meaning that there are over a thousand cases of this phenomenal wine to ransack the marketplace in search of, then sock away for at least a decade and preferably two. It is always the last-harvested site, says Eric Rousseau, and in 2005 his roughly twenty veteran pickers could certainly afford to wait and richly rewarded us for it. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 95
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Charmes-Chambertin (from vines averaging around thirty years of age, two thirds of them in Mazoyere-Chambertin) is decidedly lighter in color and palate weight than its premier cru predecessors. Sweet cherry with jam and caramel suggestions dominate a supple palate, with nuances of toasted almond and licorice. This is all about polish, sweet fruit, and laid-back elegance, but is frankly a bit disappointingly straightforward in consideration of its classification, of the quality standard set by most of its stable mates, and certainly given its price. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 89
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Charmes-Chambertin (from vines averaging around thirty years of age, two thirds of them in Mazoyere-Chambertin) is decidedly lighter in color and palate weight than its premier cru predecessors. Sweet cherry with jam and caramel suggestions dominate a supple palate, with nuances of toasted almond and licorice. This is all about polish, sweet fruit, and laid-back elegance, but is frankly a bit disappointingly straightforward in consideration of its classification, of the quality standard set by most of its stable mates, and certainly given its price. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 89
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
RousseauÕs 2005 Clos de la Roche offers a nose of ripe cherries, cedar and brown spices, a rich and expansive palate, and a sweet, pure, juicy finish of cherry, boysenberry, toasty, crusty pastry, hints of caramel, a whiff of wood smoke and a lick of salt. For purity of fruit and intensity allied to formidable extract and superb, lattice-like structure, itÕs hard to beat this wine as a candidate for at least a couple of decades in the cellar, one to check up on in eight or ten years. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 93
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes, from vines averaging fifty years of age in a Rousseau monopole that makes up nearly one third of this entire appellation, offers ripe, fresh black cherry, sweet spices, black tea, high-toned herbal distillates, musky florality, cedar, game, smoked meat and wood smoke on the nose, and a palate of impressive density that revels in fresh fruit juiciness even as it reveals layers of meat and minerals and leaves you salivating and chewing the air long after it has (reluctantly) been spat. This fascinating wine deserves another showing in ten or a dozen years, but should certainly be worthy of more than two decades bottle maturation, indeed I am sure Charles Rousseau would recommend that you not even peek before then. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 94
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes, from vines averaging fifty years of age in a Rousseau monopole that makes up nearly one third of this entire appellation, offers ripe, fresh black cherry, sweet spices, black tea, high-toned herbal distillates, musky florality, cedar, game, smoked meat and wood smoke on the nose, and a palate of impressive density that revels in fresh fruit juiciness even as it reveals layers of meat and minerals and leaves you salivating and chewing the air long after it has (reluctantly) been spat. This fascinating wine deserves another showing in ten or a dozen years, but should certainly be worthy of more than two decades bottle maturation, indeed I am sure Charles Rousseau would recommend that you not even peek before then. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didnÕt force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask Ùwhy change the recipe?Î while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007
Parker Points: 94
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
Pine resin, sweet blackberries, and dark cherries are found in the nose of the 2002 Chambertin. Medium-bodied, its silky-textured character offers spice box, black raspberry, cherry, cassis, and notes of fresh herbs. This pure, noble, suave wine also possesses a prolonged, seamless finish that is loaded with additional layers of fruit. Corinne Rousseau stated that Ùit will age forever.Î Projected maturity: 2008-2020. The Wine Advocate, #153, Jun-04.
Parker Points: 94-96
Drinking Period: 2008-2020

Tasting Notes:
Pine resin, sweet blackberries, and dark cherries are found in the nose of the 2002 Chambertin. Medium-bodied, its silky-textured character offers spice box, black raspberry, cherry, cassis, and notes of fresh herbs. This pure, noble, suave wine also possesses a prolonged, seamless finish that is loaded with additional layers of fruit. Corinne Rousseau stated that Ùit will age forever.Î Projected maturity: 2008-2020. The Wine Advocate, #153, Jun-04.
Parker Points: 94-96
Drinking Period: 2008-2020

Tasting Notes:
The 2002 Chambertin Clos de Beze bursts with spicy red cherry aromas. This medium to full-bodied wine has an exceptionally spicy personality that is crammed with red licorice (Twizzlers), candied raspberries, Asian spices, and blackberries. Wonderfully focused and armed with substantial depth, this medium to full-bodied wineÕs exceedingly long finish displays awesomely ripe tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020. The Wine Advocate, #153, Jun-04.
Parker Points: 94-96
Drinking Period: 2008-2020

Tasting Notes:
The 2002 Chambertin Clos de Beze bursts with spicy red cherry aromas. This medium to full-bodied wine has an exceptionally spicy personality that is crammed with red licorice (Twizzlers), candied raspberries, Asian spices, and blackberries. Wonderfully focused and armed with substantial depth, this medium to full-bodied wineÕs exceedingly long finish displays awesomely ripe tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020. The Wine Advocate, #153, Jun-04.
Parker Points: 94-96
Drinking Period: 2008-2020

Tasting Notes:
Produced from 45-year-old vines, the 1999 Chambertin is medium to dark ruby-colored. It has super-ripe, talcum, and blackberry aromas that lead to a medium to full-bodied wine of outstanding depth. Loads of oak-laced black fruits can be found throughout its zesty, firm character. Projected maturity: 2004-2012. The Wine Advocate, #136, Aug-01.
Parker Points: 90-93
Drinking Period: 2004-2012

Tasting Notes:
This dark ruby-colored wine exhibits a nose of charred oak encrusted with blackberries, cassis, and stones. It has a full-bodied, expansive, highly-defined, complex, and silky-textured personality that possesses black cherries, iron, minerals, gravel, and cassis. This firm and highly structured wine will require cellaring. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. As far as the 1996 vintage is concerned, Rousseau's comments were bluntly candid -
Parker Points: 92-94
Drinking Period: 2005-2012

Tasting Notes:
This dark ruby-colored wine exhibits a nose of charred oak encrusted with blackberries, cassis, and stones. It has a full-bodied, expansive, highly-defined, complex, and silky-textured personality that possesses black cherries, iron, minerals, gravel, and cassis. This firm and highly structured wine will require cellaring. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. As far as the 1996 vintage is concerned, Rousseau's comments were bluntly candid -
Parker Points: 92-94
Drinking Period: 2005-2012

Tasting Notes:
This dark ruby-colored wine exhibits a nose of charred oak encrusted with blackberries, cassis, and stones. It has a full-bodied, expansive, highly-defined, complex, and silky-textured personality that possesses black cherries, iron, minerals, gravel, and cassis. This firm and highly structured wine will require cellaring. Projected maturity: 2005-2012. As far as the 1996 vintage is concerned, Rousseau's comments were bluntly candid -
Parker Points: 92-94
Drinking Period: 2005-2012

Tasting Notes:
Dark ruby-colored, the killer Chambertin Clos de Beze floored me with its nose of roses, violets, black cherries and Asian spices. Its sublimely elegant palate impression is intense, complex, chewy, austere, minerally, stony, full-bodied and long. It possesses considerable tannin behind the rich fruit so it should be at its best between 2006 and 2016. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. The wine was tasted from cask, not bottle. Pinot Noir, a fragile varietal, reacts poorly to fining, filtration, and careless bottling techniques, I recommend caution when considering buying a red burgundy based on cask samples. I called it as I tasted it, and hope the bottled wine reflects the quality of the samples I was provided. The Wine Advocate, #111, Jun-97.
Parker Points: 91-94
Drinking Period: 2006-2016

Tasting Notes:
Rousseau's Chambertin, which is usually a qualitative match for the Clos de Beze, exhibits an attractive nose of smoky oak and red and black fruits. The attack offers plenty of sweet fruit, but the tannin quickly grips the palate and the wine finishes more compactly and with less body and intensity than I would have suspected. Certainly this wine is very good, even excellent, but it will not dazzle Burgundy lovers. It will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and keep for 12+ years. Baritone-voiced Charles Rousseau's 1993s are successful for the vintage, and softer than I expected given the inclination for the 1993s to be hard and tannic. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700 The Wine Advocate, #100. The Wine Advocate, #100, Aug-95.
Parker Points: 88
Drinking Period: 1997-2007

Tasting Notes:
Rousseau's Chambertin, which is usually a qualitative match for the Clos de Beze, exhibits an attractive nose of smoky oak and red and black fruits. The attack offers plenty of sweet fruit, but the tannin quickly grips the palate and the wine finishes more compactly and with less body and intensity than I would have suspected. Certainly this wine is very good, even excellent, but it will not dazzle Burgundy lovers. It will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and keep for 12+ years. Baritone-voiced Charles Rousseau's 1993s are successful for the vintage, and softer than I expected given the inclination for the 1993s to be hard and tannic. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700 The Wine Advocate, #100. The Wine Advocate, #100, Aug-95.
Parker Points: 88
Drinking Period: 1997-2007

Tasting Notes:
Both the Chambertin-Clos de Beze and Chambertin are more closed, deeper-colored wines than the outstanding Gevery-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques. It is often difficult to pick a favorite, but I thought the Chambertin-Clos de Beze to be lower in acidity and more forward. I would suggest cellaring it for 3-4 years, and I am sure it has at least 15 or more years of aging potential. The nose offers up roasted black-cherry and toasty new oak scents. In the mouth, there is outstanding concentration, full body, and a long, rich, moderately tannic finish. At the top level, Rousseau consistently produces three profound wines - Gevrey-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques (as good as most producer's grands crus), Chambertin-Clos de Beze, and Chambertin. That being said, I remain perplexed as to why Rousseau's other wines are so surprisingly light and fluid. While good, sometimes very good, they are markedly inferior to his top three wines. Never one to jump on the bandwagon for forward, super-ripe vintages, (he still believes 1983 is the finest vintage of the eighties), Rousseau is unpersuaded by the acclaim bestowed on 1990. The Wine Advocate, #83, Oct-92.
Parker Points: 90
Drinking Period: 1995-2007