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Wine Description
The Story
Chambertin – Domaine Armand Rousseau
Chambertin gained a reputation from the patronage of Napoleon I, who is rumoured not to have drunk anything else and watered down his Chambertin with plenty of water. He favoured it at five to six years old and never drank more than half a bottle with a meal. When the ex-Emperor was exiled on St. Helena, he was forced to drink claret, since that was easier to ship to the isolated island.
The Rousseau Domaine was started at the beginning of the 20th century by Armand Rousseau who, at his majority, inherited several plots of vineyards in Gevrey Chambertin. The Domaine premises with the living house, the storing places, the cellars and the winery, are situated in the oldest part of the village, near the 13th century church.
From 1959, after Armand Rousseau's death, Charles Rousseau was at the head of a Domaine of 6 ha which he continued developing rapidly thanks to his great knowledge in oenology, and his experience, by acquiring new vineyards, especially in "Grands Crus" areas. He decided to turn principally towards export, and, after the USA where his father had already starting to sell his wines right after prohibition at the end of the 30's, he developed the exchanges first with Great-Britain, Germany, Switzerland, soon afterwards to all European countries, then to Canada, Australia, New-Zealand, Brazil, etc. and lastly Asia in the 1970’s.
His son Eric joined him at the beginning of the 1980's to take care more especially of the vineyards and the vinification. In 1993, Corinne, Charles's elder daughter, after many years of professional experience in export abroad and in France, came back to the Domaine and in her turn took in charge the commercial relationship with customers.
Domaine Armand Rousseau is the largest landowner of the Chambertin vineyard with a total of 5.3 acres. The 32 acres of Chambertin Grand Cru represent some of the finest and most storied Pinot Noir acreage on the planet and with all producers included typically produces less than 60,000 bottles. Chambertin is the beating heart of the red Grand Crus of the Côte d’Or sitting high on the hillside and bordered by Latricières-Chambertin to the south and Clos-de-Bèze to the north.
Vinification: Grapes are meticulously sorted as they arrive in the winery. Following a cool maceration the must travels by gravity into barrel where it will stay for the entire vinification process lasting typically 18-24 months. Each Armand Rousseau wine is blended unfiltered.
Burgundy writer Clive Coates refers to this Grand Cru as perhaps the finest red wine in the world. Always a tour de force, this wine has uncanny balance. It is very structured, dense, and powerful, it has firm, ripe tannins, yet it is not heavy. It has uncommonly long length on the palate.
Vintage 2022
Bourgogne 2022: A generous and promising vintage
The 2022 vintage encapsulates what Bourgogne does best: Generosity and promise! After three years of quality without quantity, with yields impacted by weather events, it is certainly welcome, taking some of the pressure off sales and allowing stocks to be built back up. Despite some small disparities depending on the varietal, the vines stood up pretty well to some rather extreme weather and were able to take advantage of the slightest rainfall. As the wines begin the ageing process in cellars stacked up to three barrels high, winemakers and négociants are happy because the 2022 vintage is certain to seduce the palates of wine lovers around the world!
The weather this year was once again extreme, with frost, heatwaves, and drought. Budburst was later than in recent years, which helped protect the vines from April frost. Then, it was the subtle balance between vine and terroir that we can thank for the fact that despite this year's harvest being deprived of water and subjected to four separate heatwaves, it came through unscathed. This balance can be perceived in the musts which, by all accounts, have good degrees of potential alcohol. The wines are revealing quality, with nice concentration and fine balance. And it's a surprising vintage because although the weather was very hot, the wines are vivacious and offer aromas of fresh fruit; the promise of good things to come.
White wine
The whites are rounded, smooth, and complex. They are rich and very expressive, with fruity aromas. They are present without being overbearing. In the mouth, notes of fresh fruit and beautiful balance preserve the freshness.
Red wine
The reds are just embarking on the ageing process, and are showing lovely color, smoothness on the tongue, and good concentration. The structure is carried by soft tannins with a roundness coupled with a lovely density. They offer indulgent aromas of ripe red and black fruit.
