2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1. Cru Les Charmes Domaine Hudelot-Baillet

Powerful dark purple robe. Forceful but strict bouquet at first, see how this develops. Notable weight, dominant oak too, a wine that is in a forceful big style but carries it off Tasted: September 2019.

(from a .63 ha parcel that produced 6 1/2 barrels rather than 11). Moderate wood frames the ripe and agreeably fresh aromas of cherry, plum, dark currant and a whiff of violet. The intense and again solidly dense flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel before terminating in a saline and youthfully austere finale. This too is quite firmly structured though in this case there is a bit more refinement. Drink 2026+ .

The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru les Charmes was reduced to six barrels this year, instead of the usual eleven, due to frost damage. It has a dense blackberry and briary-scented bouquet, a little distant at the moment and maybe just missing a little joie-de-vivre. The palate is smooth and silky in the mouth with a fine line of acidity, better salinity than the Vieilles Vignes, with a long and detailed, energetic finish. This has very good potential.

The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes 1er Cru has an intense bouquet with layers of red fruit, blood orange, brown spices and even a touch of lemongrass (something more normally found on whites, although it does work here). The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that impart a fleshy mouthfeel. This feels very harmonious and, although there is more new oak to be assimilated, ultimately I feel this will turn into a very serious, more modern style Chambolle-Musigny. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting 2023 - 2045.