2017 - Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru, Armand Rousseau

The 2017 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru has quite a high-toned bouquet, a touch of boot polish coming through and then receding to reveal very complex floral aromas. The elegant palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, perfect acidity and fine proportion. Maybe it is missing a little weight on the back end, but it is still a refined Clos-de-Bèze that will age with grace. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

The 2017 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru bursts from the glass with extroverted aromas of dark, plummy fruits that mingle with notes of chocolate, licorice, sweet oak spice, grilled meats and espresso. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and ample with broad shoulders, a generous core of fruit and more mid-palate amplitude and tannic bite than the Chambertin.

Eric Rousseau’s daughter Cyrielle always shows this after Chambertin. She says it’s because it is ‘more violent in the mouth at this stage’. A touch smoky, and that lovely chalky/dusty note. So fragrant (today). Then a powerhouse on the palate – ‘il y a du chevaux’ – there’s power but no aggression, like a chest puffed out or a balloon filled up: fine yet more voluminous. Dark fruited with just a hint of purple flowers. Incredible yet subtle perfume tangled up in the power, woven in with the fruit. Dark, spicy and rich on the long, long finish. (JH)