Domaine Armand Rousseau is unquestionably Burgundy royalty and their wines are by far some of the most collectible in the world. Clos de Bèze is one of the most prestigious vineyards of the Côte de Nuits and Rousseau own two parcels within its walls. The 2013 is an exceptional release of remarkable sophistication and peerless harmony.
Reviews:
- Vinous: Another striking wine, the 2013 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is beautifully layered and expressive today. Violets, lavender, dark spices, mint and new leather meld together as this striking, translucent wine shows off its unmistakable personality. This is an especially refined Bèze with perhaps a bit less power than is customary, but that is not at all a bad thing. As always, the new oak (80%) is quite evident today, but that should not be an issue, as I can’t imagine opening a bottle of the 2013 before its tenth birthday, and even that will be too soon for the wine to deliver the full breadth of its pedigree.
- Burghound: Subtle if not invisible wood serves as a backdrop for the highly spiced, cool and pure mélange of red currant, dark berry, earth and once again exotic tea nuances. There is knock-out intensity to the gorgeously textured and mineral-inflected flavors that are imposingly scaled yet there is not even a hint of heaviness on the restrained, delineated and explosively long and mouth coating finale. This breathtakingly fine effort is a simply beautiful combination of power and grace.
Producer Information
Domaine Armand Rousseau is a highly regarded and critically lauded wine producer based in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, in the northern Côte de Nuits. Arguably iconic in status, Armand Rousseau is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most revered family-run domains. It holds many grand cru plots in Gevrey-Chambertin as well as part of the much sought-after premier cru vineyard Clos Saint-Jacques.Founded at the start of the 20th Century by Gevrey native Armand Rousseau, the domaine initially owned small plots of vines throughout Gevrey-Chambertin. Over the next 100 years under both Armand Rousseau and his son Charles, who took over after the death of his father in 1959, the Domaine acquired various grand cru vineyards in Charmes-, Mazis- (labeled “Mazy” by the domaine) and Mazoyères-Chambertin, culminating in a plot in Le Chambertin itself in 1994.
