2018 Gevrey Chambertin Clos du Chateau

More vibrant and ethereal than its rich, muscular communal counterpart, Rousseau's 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Château wafts from the glass with an inviting bouquet of red berries, raw cocoa and plums mingled with hints of cedar and spices. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with lively acids and fine, powdery tannins, it's bright and beautifully balanced, despite the extremes of the vintage.

Lively pretty purple, lovely sandalwood aspect to the attractive perfumed nose. Lovely light cherry, very long finish on the simple red fruit. Delicious.

Made since 2012. 17 ares (0.42 acre) replanted and not yet fruiting. They have been experimenting with biodynamic practices for six years and are now awaiting the results of soil analysis to see if there have been improvements. As Cyrielle Rousseau says, there are so many variables that she doesn’t yet know if biodynamics was what made the difference in this vineyard or just the extra attention, for example the roots are going deeper now they have cut the superficial roots. Barrel sample. A gorgeous aroma of sweet cherry fruit. Intense and so inviting. Intense and deep in fruit. Smooth, rich and generous. Juicy and delicious. Sweet and tart at the same time. Reflects Cyrielle Rousseau’s view that this is a joyous vintage. (JH)