2017 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, Chambertin Grand Cru

A wonderfully complex bouquet of ripe cherries, wood smoke, autumn forest floor, and dried flowers emerges from the 2017 Chambertin Grand Cru, a beautifully textured Chambertin that's just about overflowing with character. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a nicely focused, elegant texture, present yet ripe, silky tannins, and a solid spine of acidity that keeps the wines vibrant and lively. It shows the ripe, sunny style of the vintage, yet it's not over the top, and if anything, it holds things relatively close to its vest, with a building yet understated style. It needed lots of air to show at its best. and it will ideally be given 2-4 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly over the following 10-15.

The 2017 Chambertin Grand Cru matures in 50% new oak. It has an exuberant vivacious bouquet with wild strawberry, Morello cherries and crushed stone, becoming increasingly floral with aeration. There is real intensity and perhaps more brightness compared to its "Latricières" and "Chapelle" siblings. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, quite animated and tensile with a very pure and caressing finish that might be more unstated than its peers, but feels just as persistent and engaging. And the good news? This year there are twenty barrels instead of just five last year.

Plenty of oak scent on the nose, compact fruit with peppery spiciness on the finish. Dry, somewhat austere structure. Almost mean. Having a bad day, perhaps. (RH)