1990 Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes

These exceptionally elegant, medium-weight red burgundies appear to have closed up after an early summer bottling. When I tasted the wines before bottling, I thought they all merited scores several points higher. Since there is no filtering utilized at Barthod-Noellat, I am confident my current scores will appear conservative in several years. The Chambolle-Musigny offerings are all classic expressions of their village. At present, the domaine offers four premiers crus from Chambolle. A wine that admirably supports its name is the densely colored Chambolle-Musigny-Les Charmes. The fragrant, sweet nose of flowers, cherry fruit, and smoky oak is followed by a wine with excellent depth, crisp acidity, and a medium-bodied, tasty, well-structured, long finish. It needs 2-3 years of cellaring; it should keep for 10-12. Importer: Neal Rosenthal, Select Vineyards, New York, NY.