Armand Rousseau : Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand cru 2019

Rousseau Clos de Bèze is a blend of three plots totalling 1.42 ha. Cyrielle believes the wine shows better in its youth than Chambertin. Both wines, however, are vinified in the same way: destemmed, long maceration, gentle extraction and ageing in new François Frères barrels. The result is sublime: charming in its youth, with accessible, ripe notes of red and black fruits, spice, mineral and game, plus a velvety, dense texture that is firm but not forbidding. This has the substance to last fifty years if cellared well.

As in 2018, it is more refined than broad, with an extra touch of airy finesse and elegance compared to the Chambertin, which, for its part, stands out for its stature.

The noble expression of Clos de Bèze asserts itself with great softness. Very full-bodied and seamless, this wine—so concentrated in its structure—pulls off the feat of remaining charming and radiant from its earliest youth, offering a glimpse of the immense promise to come, with the chalky, tactile quality of a finish that builds in intensity.