2005 Charmes Chambertin

(true Charmes) Medium bright red. Delicate but slightly dull aromas of red berry liqueur, marzipan, dried rose and meat; perhaps in an oxidative phase. Then sweet and surprisingly penetrating in the mouth, with perfumed flavors of red fruits, rose petal, licorice and spice. A fine-grained, sappy wine with a lovely light touch. Finishes firmly tannic, aromatic and long. But very hard to assess today: my score assumes that the flatness of the nose is transitory. (I will hold off on rating the Ruchottes-Chambertin, which was very reduced in November and was dominated by a distinct saline character.)

Comprising around one half each of Mazoyeres and “true” Charmes and including a significant portion of centenarian vines, Pacalet’s 2005 Charmes-Chambertin features bright, juicy cherry aromas backed by a rather exotic cast of rose petal, narcissus, musk, cinnamon, coriander and coconut. Sleek and refined yet with a tactile continuation of spice in the mouth, this lacks the depth, obvious density or savory, mineral dimensions of the Lavaux St.-Jacques. Pure, refined, precise, sweet fruit and persistent spice however mark the wine’s undeniably grand cru length. Jun 2007, www.robertparker.com