"...stunning inner sweetness and perfume in what is an utterly glorious expression of Pinot Noir and Chambertin"
The Wine
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Pere et Fils, Chambertin Grand Cru 1996
£21,000 per 1x300cl JEROBOAM in OWC (excluding VAT)
Provinance stock: two exceptionally rare jeroboams
One bottle remaining – enquire here about this wine
The Cepage
Pinot Noir (100%)
The Producer
Read about Armand Rousseau in Hugo Rose MW’s producer focus
The Vineyard
Name: Chambertin (Gevrey-Chambertin)
Classification: Grand Cru
Vineyard Size: 12.93 hectares
Aspect: South-east
Soil: Well-drained marl, clay and limestone over deep bedrock; the clay component decreasing and limestone increasing at higher elevations; Rousseau has plots at varying elevations and soil compositions across the site.
Universally deemed one of the greatest Grands Crus of the Côte-de-Nuits – and the origin of Chambertin in the village name Gevrey-Chambertin – with the best producers producing often exceptionally long-lived wines of controlled power and elegance. Domaine Armand Rousseau is the largest plot owner and arguably Chambertin’s finest producer (fans of Lalou Bize-Leroy’s Domaine Leroy may have things to say about this statement...).
Vinous fact: the wines of the also-reputed Grand Cru lieu-dit of Chambertin-Clos de Bèze are legally permitted to be labelled as Chambertin, offering a nod to the similarly (but often marginally lesser) perceived quality of the former; although many producers, such as Rousseau, opt to bottle the sites separately, to distinguish the terroirs.
Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils’ Plot
Plot size: 2.56 hectares, split across various parcels
Yield: Approx. 30 hectolitres/hectare
Bottles produced: 7500-8000
The Vintage
Read more about the 1996 Burgundy vintage in 1996 JF Mugnier, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
The Provenance
From long-term storage in a private, temperature-controlled, subterranean, Mayfair (London) cellar since UK release, until 2019 when it was moved to professional storage in London City Bond.
What The Critics Say
Neal Martin, Vinous (2022)
97/100 points “The 1996 Chambertin Grand Cru, a vintage that I have drunk three or four times previously, shows modest bricking on the rim. It has a gorgeous bouquet with decayed red fruit, roasted chestnut, undergrowth and a touch of wild mint. There is something effortless about the aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that have softened in recent years. Open and expressive with a perfect bead of acidity, there is a judicious touch of spice and scintillate of greenness interlaced on the finish. After 26-years, this 1996 is reaching its peak, but the acidic spine suggests it will stay there for many years. Tasted at the Rousseau Chambertin vertical at La Vienne. Drink 2022-2050”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (2019)
97/100 points “A Burgundy of tension and bracing energy, the 1996 Rousseau Chambertin is simply magnificent on this night. Time in the glass brings out this wine’s stunning inner sweetness and perfume in what is an utterly glorious expression of Pinot Noir and Chambertin. I image the 1996 will still be compelling in 30 years’ time. Today is transcendental and deeply beautiful. Drink 2019-2046”