Burgundy 2018, impressions from barrel

I just came back from a few days of tasting the 2018 vintage from barrel. In short a very powerful vintage with lots of tannins, but supported with enough fruit to make the wines balanced. For me it is even a more powerful vintage than both 2005 and 2015. It would be interesting to hear somebody else´s opinion. I tasted the wines from several producers with very similar powerful results.

Domaine Armand Rousseau 2018 from barrel:

Gevrey-Chambertin 2018.
Already here I noticed a power which I have never experienced before at this village level. A big wine indeed, with chewy tannins and fruit in abundance. Is it just the vintage or are we seeing a change in style at chez Rousseau? 91p.
Lavaux St. Jacques 2018.
Also here more grip compared to previous vintages. Lovely wine. 92p.

Charmes-Chambertin 2018.
A wine which to me has evolved constantly sine 2012 and now is really a top notch Grand Cru. Again lots of flesh and chewy tannins. Fresh and complex. A wine for my cellar. 94p.

Clos del La Roche 2018.
As always different aromatics than the wines from Gevrey. Lovely and full, with lots of structure. 94p.

Mazy-Chambertin 2018.
This is fantastic in 2018! The best vintage I have ever taste for this wine at Rousseau. Big and chewy with lots of transparency. 95p.

Ruchottes-Chambertin 2018.
In comparison with all other wines I noticed finer tannins here. The wine is super delicate and made with millimeter precision. The tannins just teases your palate and gives the wine that extra lift which characters this “Queen of the Cellar”. Simply the best Ruchottes I have tasted during my 12 years of tasting here. 97p.

Clos St. Jacques 2018.
More wood on the nose than Ruchottes and a broader shoulder as well. A full throttle Clos St. Jacques built for the cellar. Here I understand the sheer power, but I still prefer the ultra elegance of Ruchottes. 96p.

Chambertin 2018.
This is so big and powerful that your mouth gets numb. It is simply hard to dissect this wine. Everything is in there and the wine saturates every square millimeter of your mouth. Simply a project for your grand children. Probably the most powerful Chambertin ever. 99p.
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 2018.
If the Chambertin was big this year, the Bèze is even bigger. At least at this stage. It is a monumental wine built for the cellar. Unfortunately at my age (64) I will most likely never be able to enjoy this monumental wine at full maturity. 99p+

How are the alcohol levels chez Rousseau?

It is still 13,5% in 2018. The first year ever that there was no need for chapitalization. It is all natural alcohol.

Funny timing, as I just read these comments a minute ago:

:grimacing:

Sorry, but I am worried that Gilman bashes the 2003 vintage entirely. 2003 produced some fantastic Burgundies. 2003 Clos de Tart is wonderful i.e.

I did not feel the heat and the jamminess which I find in most 2003. 2018 is more about size and power. The wines are still fresh and transparent and show their terroir.

He was talking about 2003 bdx

What I´ve tasted has no resemblance to 2003, at least at the top-producers where I´ve been (1st week in September).
(It might well be that someone harvested too late and lost freshness and acidity, wines getting overripe and too broad, but I didn´t have any…)

The wines are concentrated, structured but with ripe and sweet tannins and no dryness in the finish, definitely better than “only” classic, with real depth and complexity, acidity sound but not pronounced, the balance is usually very good - and most probably a vintage to buy also the “simpler” crus … Stronger than 2017, but with less charme in the youth, but great potential.

Who prefers 2008 to 2009 and 2013 to 2012 (Gilman did, right?) should better look elsewhere, but I only saw smiling faces in the cellars …

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He doesn’t compare the taste of 2018 Burg and 2003 Bdx, he compares the early hype.

Agreed, but presumably in so doing, he is indirectly linking the wines. Both were freakishly hot vintages in the respective regions that producing wines that Gilman finds beyond over-ripe. Please note this is my presumption, not his words… yet.

Gerhard, I like 08, 09, 12 and 13 Burgundy. Most ‘03 Burgundy, not so much. I understand that by ‘09, growers had learned to deal with the heat better. Hope you are right about ‘18.

I don’t think he’s linking the wines at ALL… he’s talking about the marketing hype…

What I heard was that 18 is like 15, with a little more power and a little less elegance.

Well, a lot of folks think 2015 is too ripe.

There’s always more wine to sell. For 2018’s, if the tariffs are still in effect, it might be a harder sell to the USofA.

No, I don’t 2nd that. Certainly not less elegant … and a different kind if power …

I think it’s certainly riper than 15. I’m not going to be buying many 18s (not my type of vintage), and I’m certainly not aging the ones I do buy for the long haul.

How would you describe it?

BTW: Sounds like a vintage when so called lesser wines from cooler climates can perform. Good for consumers. Wines could be had for fair money with good quality. Perfect.

Gilman was bashing 2003 Bordeaux, not Burgundy, in his tweets.