2009 Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes

The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Charmes is another huge, super-ripe wine. Black fruit, pepper, spices, menthol and goudron are among the nuances that take shape in the glass. Although quite dense and powerful at first, the wine finds a more delicate voice with time in the glass. Sweet rose petals and minerals linger on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. This is a stunning set of wines from Patrick Landager. The vintage yielded a set of super-sized, big wines that may shock some readers for their sheer intensity. These are among some of the most backward 2009s I tasted and will require considerable patience. The estate now farms a total of 19 hectares, which includes the vineyards Landager acquired when he bought Domaine Moine-Hudelot a few years back. In 2009 Landager started harvesting on September 22, when most people were already finished picking. Cuvaison started with 5-6 days of cold maceration and lasted a total of three weeks with one punchdown in the morning and a second in the afternoon. The wines spent 12-15 months in oak (roughly 30% new) on their fine lees with no rackings until they were prepared for bottling, which took place with no fining or filtration. (Note: the Chambolle saw 50% new oak). All of the 2009s were bottled in early February 2010. Importers: North Berkeley Wine, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880; a Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93

Deep ruby-red. Wild but subdued aromas of kirsch, violet and underbrush. Fat, broad, rich and sweet but a bit monolithic now in spite of maintaining a rather light touch. Finishes with dusty tannins and a lingering note of licorice. Still a bit brutal today and in need of more personality.

The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny Charmes is another huge, super-ripe wine. Black fruit, pepper, spices, menthol and goudron are among the nuances that take shape in the glass. Although quite dense and powerful at first, the wine finds a more delicate voice with time in the glass. Sweet rose petals and minerals linger on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. May 2011, www.robertparker.com