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.
92-94 Points Allen Meadows
Liqueur-like aromas of plum, dark cherry, earth and a hint of wood spice give way to supple and mouth coating yet tension-filled medium-bodied flavors that appear to be much more powerful than they usually are, all wrapped in a sappy, dusty, moderately austere and impressively long finish. Like the Clos du Château, the Charmes has made important qualitative strides over the past few years and is slowly approaching the level of its grand cru brethren after years of lagging.
92-94 Points Vinous
The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru offers up aromas of cherries, red berries, raw cocoa, sweet soil tones and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and nicely concentrated, it’s seamless and elegant, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a penetrating finish. It’s a terrific follow-up to the excellent 2019.