2003 Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
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Tasting notes
It is not often I use the word “disappointing” when it comes to Ghislaine-Barthod’s wines, but the 2003 Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes 1er Cru is disappointing. No fault of the winemaker – it is just that this is defined by the warmth of the growing season and nothing else. Deep in colour, much more so than any other wine from the domaine I have encountered, it has an unapologetically monotone nose of cassis and blackcurrant pastilles. The palate is dense, rather opaque and heady – not attributes that are synonymous with the domaine. It is a decent wine, but a charmless Chambolle. Tasted at Tin Dinh restaurant in Paris.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Medium deep red. Deep dark raspberry and coffee aromas are distinctly fresher than those of the Beaux-Bruns. Supple, broad and large-scaled, with much more retention of fruit, and even a bit of minerality to lift the cherry liqueur flavors. Here the tannins are substantial but arrive later, allowing this big boy to expand on the back.
(the crop level here was a healthy 35 hectoliters per hectare, compared to a more typical 25 for Barthod's other cuvees in 2003, as the vines here did not suffer as much) Bright red-ruby. Captivating aromas of black raspberry, minerals, crushed stone and spices. Sweet, chewy and dense, but lifted by the brisk crushed stone quality. This primary, firmly tannic, long wine is quite backward today but offers terrific potential.
About the producer
A Burgundy icon and definitive voice of Chambolle-Musigny, crafting ethereal Pinot Noir with crystalline precision.