Domaine Duroché - "Charmes-Chambertin" Grand Cru 2022

What a complete explosion of classic “Charmes-Chambertin” fruit, showing ripe raspberries and cassis liqueur with a subtle, smoked meat element.

Domaine Duroché has become an overnight superstar in Gevrey-Chambertin, and is a true winemaking fairy tale. Only five years after taking the helm of his family Domaine, Pierre Duroché gained global recognition with exceptional his exceptional Pinots grown on a myriad of Gevrey-Chambertin’s best plots. These comprise well-located village holdings, powerful Premier Crus and blockbuster Grand Crus. Domaine Duroché’s wines are some of the purest expressions of Pinot Noir in the Burgundy region. Pierre’s “Charmes” comes from a 0.41-ha plot sitting higher on the slope. The vines were planted in 1959 and 1998.

A deep and vibrant ruby purple. This also has the seductive quality one wants but definitely is more precise, more subtle. There is a special backbone to this wine which makes it complete rather than just superficially attractive. This Charmes-Chambertin has a definite mineral finish. Drink from 2031-2040. 95-97pts, Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy.

Technical notes

Pierre picked from 4th to 11th September. All the wines are between 12.5 and 13% alcohol. They were vinified briskly across 12 days, without sulphur, until after the malolactic fermentation which was fairly early this year. When I tasted the wines had been assembled in tank for imminent bottling. A curiosity of this Domaine is that Pierre only uses new wood in his two big volume cuvées, Gevrey-Chambertin and the single vineyard "Champ", where the effect can be lost in the blend. He uses 20% whole bunch vinification from "Etelois" upwards, with 100% for "Cazetiers" and the tiny Griotte-Chambertin bottling.