“The most introverted cuvée in the cellar when I visited was the 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru, a deep and brooding wine that unwinds in the glass with aromas of ripe berry fruit, plums, rose hips and orange rind, framed by creamy new oak. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, velvety and layered, with superb concentration and broad structural shoulders. This is a muscular Chambertin that it will be exciting to revisit from bottle, and I expect it will gain considerably from its second winter in barrel..” – William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, Jan 2020
There are 69 individual vineyards spread across 359 ha in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin with an elevation ranging from 240 to 380 metres. The appellation spreads widely to the east, thanks to the bedrock of the Combe Lavaux, which contributes essential minerals to the soil and is the most important combe (valley) of the area. The significant amount of gravel in the soil allows for an excellent draining capacity, even at the bottom of the slopes.
Domaine Rousseau owns 10 vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, 8 of which are used in its Village appellation:
Les Crais
Creux Brouillard
Clos Prieur Bas
En Champs
Les Cercueils
+ Champs Chenys and Reniards, both of which are tenanted.
Each year, the domain also relegates grapes from Premiers crus:
Perrières
Les Etournelles
Les Craipillots.
The grapes from all these vineyards are blended at the grape reception. This Village wine is an excellent premise for the wines of the domaine, announcing as it does the fine structure of Gevrey-Chambertin wines.
