2004 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques
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Tasting notes
It has been some years since I last tasted the 2004 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques from Armand Rousseau. Tasted blind, I instantly nailed the vintage because of that unmistakable stemmy note on the nose - green bell pepper. Underneath that is a light floral scent with bay leaf and broom. The palate is brittle in texture with chalky tannin, hints of licorice surfacing toward the linear, conservative finish that to be honest, was completely out-performed by the 1993 Clos Saint Jacques on this occasion. It's not at all bad for 2004, but there are better vintages out there.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Medium cherry-red. Perfumed, precise nose shows a mineral pungency to go with the red cherry, raspberry and spice aromas. Sweet, juicy and tightly wound, with more obvious acidity and oak influence than the foregoing samples. This is very suave and subtle-exactly the kind of wine that's overlooked in competitive tastings. Finishes with restrained sweetness and sneaky persistence, with suggestions of vanilla and caramel. This very refined, vibrant wine really calls for five or six years of patience.
An equally fresh if perhaps not quite as ripe nose of red fruit and mineral-infused aromas of surpassing complexity introduce delicious, intense and slightly firmer medium full flavors that culminate in a subtly persistent finish. This is refined and exceptionally pure and while it is on the lighter side, the focus, detail and precision is extremely impressive. Like the Ruchottes, this trades on elegance and refinement yet there is no lack of flavor authority despite the absence of raw size and weight.
About the producer
Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of Burgundy’s most famous estates. Revered for making unearthly expressions of Pinot Noir, the estate’s wines are some of the most collectable in the world.