The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a tightly wound nose, perhaps overtaken by some of the high-performing Premier Crus from Duroché. This is quite earthy in style, and a little broody at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite fleshy and rounded and delivering swaths of sweet red fruit on the finish, though it does not possess the complexity or density of other Grand Crus. Drink over 12–15 years.

Wafting from the glass with notions of peonies, wintergreen, plums, warm spices and licorice, the 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is full-bodied, layered and velvety, with a broad, open-knit profile and a saline, nicely defined finish.

Five parcels make up 0.4 ha at the bottom of the climat. Also tall-trained à la Leroy. (They dare not for their oldest parcels.) The vine puts its energy into the grapes apparently. Tank sample. Bitter-cherry notes and quite sweet but a tad timid. Far from exuberant. Just a little bitterness on the end. Really quite light overall though it’s certainly pure. (JR)