2023 Charmes Chambertin
Buying options
Tasting Notes
This comes from four different plots in the higher part of En Charmes, covering 1.32 hectares with an average vine age of 35 years. This Charmes-Chambertin is exuberant with wild strawberry notes, floral aromas and hints of vanilla. This medium-bodied Grand Cru has very fine and round tannins. It is elegant and persistent with lots of expression. Very classic and clean, it has the trademark weightlessness found in the best 2023s. This is a great Charmes-Chambertin that could be enjoyed in its youth, but will be even better with four or five years’ cellaring.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Vinous
Allen Meadows, Burghound
More reviews and scores
The 2023 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from 13 hectares that are broken down into subplots. It contains around 15% whale cluster-a prudent amount that may increase in the future. This has a delineated bouquet with vivacious red fruit, wild strawberry redcurrant and just a touch of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip. It's one of the more floral cuvées from Rebourseau on the nose and fine weight on the finish that is open and "airy" in style
Once again there is just enough wood influence to mention suffusing the slightly riper aromas of poached plum, black cherry and a whiff of the sauvage. The succulent, round and seductive, if again not particularly dense, flavors are rich to the point of opulence on the sappy and lingering finish that is supported by unusually pliant tannins. As such, this should be reasonably approachable young if desired. Drink 2029+
The 2023 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is suave and succulent, bursting with aromas of smoky berries, cinnamon, orange zest and petals. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's succulent and melting, with soft tannins and a perfumed finish. By the time of the 2023 vintage, the new Rebourseau winery was fully complete, so winemaker Bastien Giraud (who spent several years as second-in-command chez Faiveley) was able to receive the abundant crop in luxurious new facilities. Harvest began on September 11, and the crop was mostly destemmed, with Giraud pursuing a light touch with extraction. When I visited, the wines had recently been racked to tank, so some may have been a little discombobulated; but everything showed well, particularly the Perrières, Mazis-Chambertin and Clos de Bèze, which exhibited a touch more density than the rest of the range. Of course, bringing viticulture up to an élite level may take longer than constructing a new winery; but it's clear that no efforts or expense are being spared to elevate this estate to the place in the Burgundian firmament that its wonderful palette of terroirs deserves.
About the producer
Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, this domaine has a long history and impressive vineyards (with over five hectares of Grand Cru), but has long been considered an under-performer. Today, however, the Bouygues brothers (of Montrose and Clos Rougeard) have taken ownership and change is afoot.