2004 Charmes Chambertin Tres Vieilles Vignes

Medium red; less saturated than the other vintages of the 2000s. Very spicy aromas of redcurrant, plum and blond tobacco, along with a touch of reduction owing to some unabsorbed carbonic gas. Offers good tension in the mouth, with cherry, clove, tobacco and licorice flavors showing an obvious spicy character. Conveys some suggestions of underbrushy evolution but the wine's slightly herbal acidity is keeping it fresh. Finishes with good energy and a modicum of power, with the slight dustiness of the tannins accentuated by the spice element. This wine struck me as clearly richer than the estate's Mazy- and Griottes-Chambertin in the early going but still conveys an impression of irregular ripeness and lacks the flesh for a higher score. Pierre-Jean Roty told me that the family used algae and copper treatments on the vines to heal the wounds caused by the July hail, and that most of the berries dried by the hail were blown away by wind, but he also noted that the vibrating table was important for eliminating both dried and underripe berries. (14.15% alcohol; 3.31 pH; 30 h/h; from a year Pierre-Jean described as "horrible," due in part to a hail event in July, but he noted that the estate had a vibrating sorting table for the first time in '04)