2019 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru "Tres Vieilles Vignes", Burgundy, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The flagship Grand Crus Charmes-Chambertin Tres Vieilles Vignes, Mazis-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin are all made from very old vines (some were planted in the late 1800s) and are as rich, concentrated and age-worthy as the greatest produced by Joseph.

The oldest vines of the domaine, and some of the oldest vines in France, planted just after phylloxera. The vines, comprising .16ha, were planted in 1885. They give low yields but remarkable concentration and terroir expression. The Roty Charmes Chambertin, Trѐs Vieilles Vignes is a unique wine and one of the most distinctive in Burgundy.

Charmes-Chambertin wines have vivid coloration ranging from deep ruby to black-cherry. Their aromas suggest strawberry, blackcurrant, and gooseberry as well as fruit pits, liquorice, and spices. Violet, moss and underbrush are also likely to be present. On the palate, power, opulence and elegance unite to make a full and complex body, full of sap and voluptuosness textured. Keeping potential is 10 years minimum. Although these sumptuous Grands Crus share a family resemblance, each has its own distinctive nuances.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Domaine Joseph Roty boasts one of the largest concentrations of old vines in Burgundy, averaging about 65 years. The domaine is fanatical about old vines, they have some of the oldest in France, the living ambassadors of the affinity the Roty’s so obviously feel for their land. Coupled with late picking, which further concentrates yields and with fermentation below 30 degrees, and a cuvaison of three weeks, the structure and complexity is consequentially remarkable and the winemaking uncompromising in achieving this. With a little age these wines develop wonderful aromatics with the characteristic Pinot Noir flavours of black cherry and stone fruit. The old vine fruit contributes the length of flavour and great complexity. Roty’s Charmes Chambertin Cuvée Trѐs Vieilles Vignes is largely harvested from vines of over 120 years.

One of the great domaines of Gevrey. Pierre-Jean has taken up the reins and seems to intent on following the families somewhat idiosyncratic, uncompromising path. “Nothing changes” as Madame Roty told us on our last visit. These are not fashion-conscious wines, everything is destemmed, new oak is relatively high, around 50% on the village wines, 60-70% on the Lieux-Dit and 100% on the Grand Cru. They are wines made to age, there is little point opening them young.