Domaine Armand Rousseau is one of the most famous and best domaines in Burgundy. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, the estate is formed of just over 15 hectares, over half of which is Grand Cru.
This is one of Burgundy’s greatest domaines – in terms of history, vineyard holdings and quality of wine. The original Armand Rousseau was at the forefront of the first wave of domaine bottling in the 1930s. He was succeeded by his son Charles in 1959, shortly after they had bought a significant slice of the Clos St Jacques vineyard. Today Eric, grandson of Armand, is in charge of the vines and cellar, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle.
The domaine produces pale, finely structured wines of great elegance and stamina. The simple principle of old (but not ancient) vines and sensible yields dictates the Rousseau style. Sometimes the wines can appear light in their youth, but they nearly always take on weight as they age.
95-97 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2016 Mazy-Chambertin Grand Cru has a really beautiful bouquet with pure dark cherry and raspberry scents intermixed with orange blossom and apricot. This has wonderful delineation and focus. The palate is tighter and a little more structured than the Charmes-Chambertin, with a gentle grip in the mouth and a fine bead of acidity, segueing into darker fruit toward the finish, with just a hint of spice on the tender finish. This is a hauntingly beautiful Mazys in the making.
94-96 Points Jasper Morris
Typical mid red colour, plump deep cherries and peonies. There is much more density here, especially on the palate, and a layer of velvet over and above what the Charmes has to offer. Excellent persistence.
91-94 Points Allen Meadows
A brooding and very taciturn nose features a plethora of Gevrey-like elements including humus, underbrush, game and a whiff of the sauvage, all of which add breadth to the red and dark currant-scented aromas. The medium weight plus sized flavors are at once more precise and more mineral-driven before culminating in a muscular, driving and beautifully complex if very firmly structured finale where a touch of wood surfaces. This is clearly built-to-age and is going to require at least 5 to 8 years first. Excellent.