Domaine Armand Rousseau - Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2009

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Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of the most famous and best domaines in Burgundy. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, the estate is formed of just over 15 hectares, over half of which is Grand Cru.

This is one of Burgundy’s greatest domaines – in terms of history, vineyard holdings and quality of wine. The original Armand Rousseau was at the forefront of the first wave of domaine bottling in the 1930s. He was succeeded by his son Charles in 1959, shortly after they had bought a significant slice of the Clos St Jacques vineyard. Today Eric, grandson of Armand, is in charge of the vines and cellar, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle.

The domaine produces pale, finely structured wines of great elegance and stamina. The simple principle of old (but not ancient) vines and sensible yields dictates the Rousseau style. Sometimes the wines can appear light in their youth, but they nearly always take on weight as they age.

"This is quite ripe yet the impression is one of freshness with no surmaturité while the aromas reveal an exuberant spiciness to the dense mix of red and black fruit and wet stone aromas. The supple, round and marvelously well-detailed broad-shouldered flavors possess a silky mid-palate brimming with dry extract on the almost painfully intense and massively long mineral-driven finish that displays stunning persistence. The 2009 is an impeccably well-balanced effort in yet another in a long line of great vintages for this storied wine."

96 Points Burghound

"The 2009 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru from Rousseau is a comparatively extroverted, baroque rendition of this wine, and its bouquet is already relatively forthcoming, wafting from the glass with fragrant notes of wild strawberry, black cherry, woodsmoke, loamy soil, grilled meat and soy. On the palate, the wine is richly textural, three-dimensional and complete, with an ample core of fruit, supple tannins and extravagant breadth. Rousseau's decision to harvest relatively early, however, seems to have been vindicated by vibrant acids and fruit that remains juicy and succulent, despite all its sumptuousness. "

95 Points William Kelley - The Wine Advocate