Joseph Roty Charmes Chambertin 1997: ouch!

This was very disappointing. The color was quite deep, the nose had fruit, but the oak was extremely intrusive. The new wood showed also on the palate; not much flavor, and what there was, was not helped by a slight hollowness, before it thinned out, to a finish that was short and lost it’s fruit. 83 points, and glad it’s my only bottle.

I generally enjoy Roty’s Wines, and have liked recently both the 1996 and 1998; I bought the 1997 from someone who purchased it on release. Perhaps a bad bottle.

I would never trust a ‘Rory’ wine, probably a bad fake!

Fixed

Fascinating that after over 20 years, the oak had not yet integrated. I’m not knowledgeable on Burgundy, so forgive me if what follows are dumb questions. In this case what causes this? Too much oak to begin with, or simply not much for the oak to ‘integrate with’? Something else?

From the note I am thinking Mark had a slightly flawed bottle.

my opinion is that Roty, a heavy smoker, was oak-tolerant and overoaked his grand crus. He died, incidentally, of smoking-related throat cancer. Smoking dulls the palate—look at Rovani’s Burgundy notes.

I don’t know Roty’s wines, but in addition his stylistic preferences, '97 was a warm year, so alcohols may have been higher than usual. Alcohol is a solvent for some oak aromas, so higher-alcohol wines often show more oakiness.

Don’t think I’ve ever had a Roty wine that hasn’t showed oak.

In strong vintages the oak eventually integrates. But in the 2 occasions I had the 1997 CC it showed of nothing but over toasted oak. Probably the worst wine I’ve had from them.

Jay, you should have told me.

I could have sold it at auction for $250.

Mark, you should have asked me

What about that legendary ESP of yours?