1993 Chambertin Clos de Beze

I felt the Chambertin-Clos de Beze was a knock-out effort. Its saturated dark ruby/purple color is the deepest of all the Rousseau offerings. The tight nose offers promising scents of jammy black fruits, flowers, and spices. The wine possesses great richness, full body (a rarity for a 1993), high tannin, and more than enough flesh, glycerin, and intensity to balance the wine's structural components. This large-scaled, impressively-endowed grand cru needs 5-8 years of cellaring. it should last for 20 years. Baritone-voiced Charles Rousseau's 1993s are successful for the vintage, and softer than I expected given the inclination for the 1993s to be hard and tannic. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 100

This was the second bottle of 1993 Clos de Beze from Rousseau I tasted within a few weeks – not that I’m complaining. This one was once again a gorgeous Pinot Noir at the peak of its powers. The bouquet soars from the glass with perfumed red and black fruit, perhaps a little more tertiary and animally on this occasion, but no less captivating. The palate is vibrant with formidable structure and then there is that daring, animal finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. It does not quite possess the breeding of the Chambertin Grand Cru, but in some ways it is more “fun” to just imbibe. I can see this lasting another decade without breaking a sweat. Tasted August 2013. Oct 2013, www.robertparker.com