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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
If Rousseau’s Chambertin and Clos de Bèze are the powerhouses of the domaine, Charmes-Chambertin is its charmer: the most perfumed, supple, and accessible of the family’s Grand Crus. Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of Burgundy’s most respected producers, in Gevrey-Chambertin, and its holdings include Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Clos de la Roche, Mazis-Chambertin, the entire Clos des Ruchottes monopole, and Charmes-Chambertin, along with Mazoyères-Chambertin, whose production Rousseau blends with Charmes and labels as Charmes-Chambertin. Together, the two plots, about 0.45 hectares in Charmes and 0.92 hectares in Mazoyères, make up the 1.37 hectares behind this wine: younger vines in Charmes proper and old vines in Mazoyères.
Rousseau’s approach to the wine is distinctive, and Decanter captured it when it visited the cellar: “Rousseau’s Charmes is the first grand cru tasted in the cellar. The emphasis here is on the purity of fruit and silky expression rather than the lush density of some growers. There is a hint of spice to the ripe, ethereal cherry aromas, but there is no new wood in the maturation here — ‘you have to avoid crushing it with new wood,’ according to Cyrielle,” Rousseau. The blend of young and old vines, Decanter wrote, “gives a very elegant result.”
The 2021 earned some of the highest scores in the Charmes-Chambertin appellation. Wine Spectator scored it 95: “Macerated cherry, strawberry, rose and chalky mineral aromas and flavors highlight this sleek yet firmly structured red. This is balanced, combining elegance and power. Always stays on the graceful side through the long, detailed aftertaste.” Decanter scored it 94, Burghound 93, Vinous (Neal Martin) 92, and the Wine Advocate (William Kelley) 92. Vinous found “a perfumed nose and is rather floral in style. Traces of blue fruit and pressed iris flower combine succinctly with the red fruit. Again, there is wonderful delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It’s cohesive and smooth in texture, nothing weighty.” The Wine Advocate noted that it’s “firmer and more compact than the supple, expressive Cazetiers,” with “aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notes of rose petals and spices.” A retailer’s summary is a fair caution for a lighter vintage: “The 2021 might lack density for some, but it is so harmonious and charming that you won’t be able to resist.”
Wine-Searcher’s average across 203 critic reviews and vintages is 93 out of 100. It’s a more approachable Rousseau Grand Cru, with the pedigree but a less formidable cellaring requirement than Chambertin or Clos de Bèze, drinking beautifully over the next 10 to 15 years. A natural for duck, game birds, truffle dishes, and a special Burgundy dinner.
Domaine Armand Rousseau 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is produced by Domaine Armand Rousseau in Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France. It is 100% Pinot Noir from a blend of younger vines in Charmes and older vines in Mazoyères (1.37 hectares in total), matured without new oak. 750ml.
Wine Spectator — 95 Points:
“Macerated cherry, strawberry, rose and chalky mineral aromas and flavors highlight this sleek yet firmly structured red. This is balanced, combining elegance and power. Always stays on the graceful side through the long, detailed aftertaste.”
Decanter — 94 Points:
“The emphasis here is on the purity of fruit and silky expression rather than the lush density of some growers. There is a hint of spice to the ripe, ethereal cherry aromas, but there is no new wood in the maturation here... It is produced from a combination of relatively young vines in Charmes proper with old vines from Mazoyères, which give a very elegant result.”
Burghound — 93 Points
Neal Martin, Vinous — 92 Points (January 2023):
“The 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a perfumed nose and is rather floral in style. Traces of blue fruit and pressed iris flower combine succinctly with the red fruit. Again, there is wonderful delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It’s cohesive and smooth in texture, nothing weighty.”
William Kelley, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — 92 Points (January 2023):
“Firmer and more compact than the supple, expressive Cazetiers, the 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru delivers aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notes of rose petals and spices.”
Domaine Armand Rousseau (producer notes):
“A supple wine; both fine and elegant.”
Nose
Luminous garnet with a delicate violet rim. Macerated cherry, strawberry, and wild raspberry, with rose petal, pressed iris, cassis, plum, and warm spice.
Palate
Medium-bodied, silky, and cohesive, with red fruit, blue fruit, and chalky mineral, with pliant tannin and fresh acidity.
Finish
Long, graceful, and detailed, with dark berries and earth.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France |
| Variety | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Producer | Domaine Armand Rousseau |
| Vineyards | Younger vines in Charmes + old vines in Mazoyères (1.37 ha total) |
| Oak | No new oak |
| Critics | Wine Spectator 95 · Decanter 94 · Burghound 93 · Vinous 92 · Wine Advocate 92 |
| Cellaring | Drinks well over the next 10–15 years |
| Style / Identity | The perfumed, silky, charming Rousseau Grand Cru |
| Aromas & Flavors | Cherry, strawberry, rose petal, iris, cassis, plum, chalky mineral |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Decant for about an hour; serve at about 60-64°F.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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