Armand Rousseau : Chambertin Grand cru 2018

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the Chambertin Grand Cru 2018 by Armand Rousseau

Tasting

Color
The wine shows a deep, saturated purple color, typical of a concentrated grand cru pinot noir.

Nose
The nose unfolds a complex bouquet combining red and black fruit with floral notes, hints of citrus, gentle spice, and subtle earthy undertones.

Palate
The palate is full-bodied and well-structured, yet remains vibrant, carried by remarkably fine tannins and a long, persistent finish.

Serving and cellaring

The Chambertin Grand Cru 2018 is built for extended cellaring, following a style that the domaine has long associated with its Chambertin parcels, capable of evolving gracefully over many years thanks to its depth and structure.

A Structured, Age-Worthy Red from the Chambertin Grand Cru, Armand Rousseau

The Estate

Founded in 1909 in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of Burgundy, the Armand Rousseau estate took shape around the family home inherited by Armand Rousseau at the time of his marriage, complementing vineyard plots he had received in 1902. Over the decades, the property grew into one of the region's leading holders of grand cru terroir, cultivating roughly 15.33 hectares planted entirely with pinot noir, including parcels in Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, and Clos de la Roche. Today the estate is run by Eric Rousseau and his daughter Cyrielle, representing the fourth generation of the family.

The Vineyard

The Chambertin Grand Cru cuvée is sourced from four plots within the Chambertin climat, located immediately adjacent to the village of Gevrey-Chambertin. The vines grow on clay-limestone soils considered particularly well suited to pinot noir, combining good water retention with adequate drainage. Some of these parcels cannot be worked with machinery and are instead plowed with horses to protect the soil structure. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, with each bunch inspected before entering the vats.

The Vintage

The 2018 growing season in Burgundy was marked by generous, warm conditions that allowed the grapes to reach particularly high ripeness. Despite this warmth, well-exposed grand cru sites such as Chambertin retained enough freshness through the season to preserve balance and structure in the fruit.

Winemaking and aging

For the Chambertin Grand Cru 2018, around forty barrels were produced, all aged entirely in new oak, a choice the estate explains as necessary for the wine to fully develop. Winemaking methods at the domaine have changed very little since its earliest bottlings, reflecting a style of vinification built on restraint and precision rather than heavy extraction.

Grape Varieties

This wine is made from 100 % pinot noir, the only grape variety grown across the entire estate.