WB Burgundy Village/Appellation Tasting - Week 4: Chambolle

Hello and welcome to week 4 of our weekly Burgundy village and appellation tasting series!

Last week, we covered the wines of Morey Saint Denis and the response was great. This week we will focus on Chambolle-Musigny.

With these tastings we are attempting to generate discussion about these villages and the appellations in and around them. With that said, blends such as 1er Cru Chambolle-Musigny is a welcome addition as this is indeed a wine tha can be found from producers and there still may be discussion on the resulting impressions from those who produce and consume these wines as well as those who are just interested in giving their thoughts or are interested in learning more. If you are experienced or not, we look forward to your contributions.

Last but not least, let’s all continue to have fun.

Santé

Nobody has flamed me too badly yet for throwing out my personal hierarchy of the crus, so here goes for Chambolle-Musigny. All comments pro or con would be appreciated…

First division grand crus (roughly upper half of all red grand crus):
Musigny
Bonnes Mares

Second division grand crus:
(None)

Quasi-Grand 1er Crus:
Les Amoureuses

Top 1er Crus (roughly top 20-25% of all red 1er crus):
Les Cras
Les Fuees
La Combe d’Orveau
Veroilles
(edited to move Charmes, see below)

Other 1er Crus = All the rest, 19 of them IIRC, with “honorable mention” going to Charmes, Gruenchers, Feusselottes, and Baudes.

For reference, a link to my previous (Morey-Saint-Denis) cru ranking post:
http://wineberserkers.com/viewtopic.php?p=304440#p304440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2002 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Some mustiness to start, that quickly blew off revealing integrated sappy red bramble fruits and black cherry. Faint hints of sandalwood. Bright almost cutting acidity paints over the midpalate, with retiring fruit that initially retreats and subsequently peaks out as the firmly massaging tannins ease. Subdued earth and minerals. There’s a sense of better things ahead. Looking forward to the day 2 follow-up.

RT

In honor of the thread/question about this producer, I busted out a Perrot-Minot 1996 Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveau.

I find the color nearing translucence with the rosy hues now limpidly pale in the glass. (I recall this wine being fairly Red upon release, but not Purple.) The aromas are classic Chambolle: supple and polished with a sultry quality. I’m finding cherry and decomposing wood (in a good way) in the aromas. The body is also incredibly smooth and polished. All finesse at this point. Long, long, long finish that is just brilliant. Very happy.

A couple of recent tasting notes. Thanks for starting this thread. Very interesting.

2002 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Dark with a creaminess , cherries and spice on the nose. Good acidity and fruit, but fell a bit short on the mid-palate initially. Good length. This was a controversial wine. I think the wine has closed up, as it showed much better a couple of years ago. Wait 10 years to open the next one. 93 pts

2000 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts-Doix
What a surprise! I wasn’t expecting what I found in the bottle, after reading reviews. This wine is very nice!! Great nose of cherries, smoke, hints of leather and spice. Lovely on the palate…quite rich, balanced with soft tannins. Long finish. I would drink this now, but suspect it will keep a few more years. 94 pts

I have collected and drunk numbers of Drouhin Grand Crus over the years starting with vintages in the 1960s. Although I have more recent vintages, the youngest ones I have tried are from 1985. My impression of Drouhin wines has always been that they were elegant and fruit-focused, with the finish always suggestive to me [and others] of red cherries. Please don’t tell me younger vintages have switched to black cherries! [basic-smile.gif]
There is quite a difference, esp. in the finish. Red cherries are bright and high-toned; red cherries are dusky, complex and “low-toned.”

Interestingly if you do a google search on “Drouhin cherry -Oregon” you find descriptions of ‘cherries,’ sometimes black sometimes red and often not qualified. But if there is cherry and either raspberry or strawberry combined [not unusual] then you can be sure it is red cherry they mean.
I guess the “experts” haven’t figured this out…
Wonder what the Drouhins would say.

Glad you enjoyed the wine…

Paul

I predict stardom in the near future for Domaine Francois Bertheau, which issues wines that speak from the very heart and soul of Chambolle-Musigny. A lighter shade of ruby, lacy and delicate in texture, airy and weightless, and yet no shortage of flavor authority, drive, and cut on the palate. These are wines that shout in a whisper, and proudly proclaim the gossamer filigree side of Chambolle that makes it my very favorite wine village on this planet.

But caution is advised on the back vintages, as there is bottle variation and inconsistency in the vintages of the 1990’s. Pierre Bertheau made some terrific wines, and yet others seemed overcropped, and others seemed to have been bottled barrel-by-barrel judging from the inconsistency I’ve encountered. I’m not sure exactly when Pierre passed the reins to son Francois, but at least by the time of the 2002’s. The domaine was re-named in 2004, the previous Bertheau & Fils becoming Domaine Francois Bertheau. Thankfully, Francois inhereted Pierre’s vision of Chambolle-Musigny, and added improvements in yield strategy, cellar hygiene, and bottling practices.

Domaine Bertheau & Fils 1990 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru. I can vividly recall my first bottle of this wine, from April 2008, an extraordinary wine of complex perfume and delicate crushed limestone lace on the palate. Subsequent bottles never lived up, some were pretty good, others completely uninteresting. A highly-respected winemaker, tasting with me early this year, offered the opinion that our mediocre bottle was infected with pediococcus. That sounds to me like a sex crime involving children, but its what the guy said… blush

Tonight we are lucky… a great bottle of 1990 Bonnes Mares. Good medium ruby color, slightly hazy. Earthy and minerally nose with some hint of bandaid that blew off. Sappy and spicy on the palate, beguiling minerality, light body but plenty of drive and intensity. Subtle finish lingers on, a long gentle kiss goodbye.

Lew,
From what I have seen of some recent Bertheau’s, I think your prediction is probably right.

Bertheau has been on fire lately, the 2007s are exceptional.

2001 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny: Chambolle Musigny is all about understatement, perfume and cool fruit flavours and this is a classic Chambolle in every sense. It titillates the senses with all its pretty red fruits, sweet perfume and high degree of minerality. It is restrained yet balanced and evenly proportioned and the cherry fruits intensify at the heart of the wine with extended breathing. In a lovely place right now but certainly has not yet reached its apogee.

Disclaimer: I have sold some of this wine.

I usually prefer redder leaning Burgs/Pinots. This has not gone to the dark side and there’s more red bramble than black cherry…but I didn’t find the tart red (typically sour) cherry profile associated with locally grown fruit or some Beaujolais/Jura reds. All that said, initially it wasn’t particularly fruit driven at all (compared to inumerable new world pinots). The opening sips were largely dominated by structure and a pronounced acidic spine but there’s some nice underlying material. I’ve had 3 - 4 bottles over the past few years and some don’t seem to give up the funk so easily. We’ll see what a day of rest can do.

RT

ok, I edited your comments a bit - but dang! doesn’t “shh” mean anything anymore?

Seriously, Bertheau is one of the few producers I’ve loved over the years that had been underrated and still reasonably priced. I winced every time you raved them up, Lew, as I was hoping only you and I would remain in the know (although I did encourage Claude to visit there a few years ago). At least thanks for scaring readers off of backfilling!

From my Bg 2007 tasting in late April:

Domaine Jacques-Frederic MUGNIER – Bonnes-Mares 2007 GC
Quite bright colour, mixture of dark berries and cherries, very elegant, really long, but slight bitterness in the finish, will age well, 91p

Domaine Jacques-Frederic MUGNIER – Musigny 2007 GC
full deep colour, intense fragrant nose, very elegant, mouthfilling and sweet, very nice core, 94p

Gerhard

I’m going to make you happy then as I have yet to be impressed with those wines. Certainly good value but the ones I have tried (all pre-2003) did not lead to me to put it on my “to do” list. I may give it another try now :slight_smile:

Only Ghislaine Barthod makes a 1er Cru Veroilles, the rest of the appellation is villages. Her version, though, is clearly worth the 1er cru status and one of my favourites chez Barthod.

Agreed, Michael-the Barthod Veroilles is one of the best Bonnes Mares you can get!

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru ‘Les Feusselottes’ 2007 - Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg

This is my first time trying one of these wines from Mugneret-Gibourg. I hadn’t seen this in the States but a small shop in Beaune yesterday has a great price on these and some other treats.

Upon opening, there is a beautiful perfume, fairly dense, dark and deep cherries and dark chocolate are simply gushing from this one. The color here is a bit darker than what I expect from the vintage and indeed 1er Crus from this appellation. That said, this is a beautiful expression, if not a bit on the gros side of Chambolle. Richness is found throughout from the nose, fruit presence and tannin impression. Due to the moderate acid presence, this can work well with or without food. I’d prefer a bit more acid actually. I was told that this parcel got fairly hot this vintage so this aspect may be atypical. The finish is lovely with dark red fruits and chocolate. One more thing, this nose is stunning and everything that follows makes good on that promise. This wine convinced me that I need to drink more wines from this producer.

Lewis,
a tiny parcel of Veroilles (0,37 ha) has only been elevated to 1er Cru recently - and the only owner is as far as I´m concerned Gislaine Barthod …
I haven´t ever tasted it, but I doubt it is any better than the Gruenchers by Dujac …
On the other hand there are many Charmes that are not top-notch … more often than not “elegant but light” - so I´d rather put Gruenchers into 1st rank 1er crus than Charmes (if a 4th at all) …

0.02

great thread - i think it’s my favorite village.

2006 Barthod Bourgogne: Was a little difficult on release, but already showing some harmony. Delicious stuff and very much tasted like a mini-Chambolle.

2004 Barthod Les Cras: I think she did a great job with the 2004s. They’re on the lighter side, but a good dose of bright cherry and that iron element that I usually get on this wine – very much a Bonnes Mares little sister (but not that little). I’d love take a ripe vintage of this wine – say a 2002 – and stick it in a blind Bonnes Mares tasting.

2006 Roumier Chambolle: I think this is probably the best deal in Chambolle village going. It always seems to be a race between Mugnier and Roumier with a Barthod coming in close, but in 2006 and 2007, Roumier takes it. Earthy, with very pure fruit and already some sap. This should age nicely in the short/medium term.

Huge fan of Bertheau as well and the 2006s were given away here recently for some reason.

And Ray - MG’s Feusselottes is the QPR hero in the range by far – always over-delivers IMO.

What are some other rock-star village Chambolles?

Continuing our burg theme dinners with a mini-examination of Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes vineyard.

Wines were served single blind:

1988 Bertheau Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
One of the two oldest looking colorwise, sports a stemminess/stalkiness, pepper and bright red fruits, but turns astringent/sharp and a little leathery as it winds up. This particular bottle seemed a bit past peak and tired fruit-wise, but it was my first go at it so tough to call in its evolution.

1990 Missery Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
Also quite old looking, compared the remaining wines. Gives less all around than the Bertheau, quite thin and also missing solid fruit.

1995 Amiot-Servelle Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
My third favorite, medium bodied red cherry fruit is layered and spicey - seemed a bit tight but there’s still a lot of material here. Seemed more minerally than the prior wines.

1999 Potel Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
Both my and the group’s favorite in the lineup, most guessed this as the 02 Barthod, I guessed correctly :slight_smile: A complete wine, in prime drinking form, with a gorgeous bouquet of pine needles, flowers, a little oak spice and bright, sappy red fruits. The palate is dense and layered, this doesn’t let up from start to finish.

2002 Barthod Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
I guess this is where reading boards pays off, most thought this was the Potel as it was oakier and “harder,” less giving than the 99 Potel. I had read notes with folks bemoaning the fact that they hadn’t had a “ready” Barthod, thus my guess. Again, there is a lot to like here, but it isn’t ready to be released yet - it seemed a bit backwards and coiled. The oak was prominent and the fruit tended toward strawberry liqueur-type flavors. I’d love to try this in 10 years and see what it’s like.