2009 Gérard Raphet Charmes-Chambertin Cuvée Unique- France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (11/14/2014)
Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. Pours a dark red. Big 2009 aromas come out, oak and ripe raspberry/strawberry at the forefront. Some barnyard subtly emerges in the background. Baking spice and forest floor come along with more air. On the palate there’s good concentration and depth of flavor, and good balance. Unfortunately, this just doesn’t have that specialness that good Grand Cru Burgundy should. It’s a nice wine, very drinkable, but overall more akin to a great Village-level than a GC. (87 pts.)
Have has some wonderful Raphet wines but find they need some time to open up in glass - very frequently they seem to start off somewhat oxidized and porty in the glass and then miraculously rejuvenate. Not drunk anything quite so young as this, however.
I had the 2005 and 2006 Charmes at the Domaine and my thoughts were similar to yours about the 2009. Very solid, four square wines that didn’t really have the sort of detail or specialness on palate you look for in a Grand Cru. I think Gerard would say that all these three wines need more cellar time, which is true, but I’m still unconvinced … He does have big plans to renovate his operation in the next few years and he has good sites and old vines (but not for the Charmes, I understand) so it will be interesting to see if his wines do improve …
I suspect the fruit was probably awesome, but the winemaking got in the way. I’ve had another 2009 Raphet that was actually fantastic, it had that “wow!” factor. This one, while young, didn’t really strike me as on an upward trajectory. I tasted it a few times over the course of several hours and my notes are consistent. Still, it’s well priced and I honestly can’t really complain.
I tried this bottle. Yes, way too early for drinking Grand Cru, but Beau’s right, this was fresh and fruity, a little oaky, I didn’t pick up an brett. Blind I would have guessed a perfectly good new world Pinot that wasn’t over the top or anything. Maybe the structure would have given it away as Burgundy, otherwise just sort of good, not Grand Cru. Wonder where the vines are in Charmes, rarely a standout GC terroir in my experience.
I’ve had some average raphet wines, but can’t remember having anything really noteworthy. The price is generally good, but there seems that there’s a reason for it. Has anyone had something remarkable?
I haven´t tasted the Charmes-Ch. (and not the Cuvee Unique … I suppose these are special US-Cuvees with all new oak), so can´t comment on this wine … but had the Clos de la Roche, CV and Beze 09, and recently a lot of his 2010s and 2012 from Village to GC.
All these wines were definitely high class … yes, quite modern in style and with noticable oak influence, but true of their classification … elegant, stylish, intense and long … NOTHING Village about the Grand Crus at all.
The wines need at least 10-12 years IMHO to show what they have … and the 09 might have closed down a bit in the meantime I suppose.