2018 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru

There is barely enough wood to mention on the wonderfully fresh and airy aromas of red cherry, pomegranate, earth and a hint of the sauvage. The seductively textured yet well-delineated big-bodied flavors possess an abundance of energy on the intensely mineral-inflected, sappy and impeccably well-balanced finale that reflects a touch of youthful austerity. The sheer level of complexity is stunning, and this knockout of a Chambertin should age for a very, very long time yet it's not so backward and it couldn't be approached after a decade or so of aging.

The 2018 Chambertin from Domaine Rousseau is so expressive and exotic out of the blocks, that I was sure that this was the Clos de Bèze! The bouquet is deep, sappy and spicy, offering up notes of black cherries, black raspberries, grilled meats, bitter chocolate, a brilliant base of soil tones, nutty, smoky new oak and a potpourri of exotic spice tones in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, sappy and flamboyant right out of the blocks, with a great core, superb soil signature, ripe, buried tannins and stunning length and grip on the complex and perfectly balanced finish. Great juice.