The 2012 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is raised entirely in new oak and includes less whole cluster in order to retain the femininity of the cru. It has a well-defined, mineral rich bouquet that remains tight at the moment, refusing to acquiesce in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, quite succulent tannins, good acidity, a gentle grip and impressive build towards the structured blackberry and blueberry-driven finish. Very good tension here and in synch with the fruit, this Charmes-Chambertin should age well over the next 20 years.
Rapping the door at Domaine Dugat-Py, at first sight I thought that Bernard Dugat had aged a little…about thirty years to be exact. Now I know that his parents live in the conjoined house next door and that his son inherited his looks from his father, Pierre Dugat, as well as some of the most propitious vineyard holdings in Gevrey. Bernard’s wines have always had a modern sheen with relatively high use of new oak from his village crus upwards (100% for all his premier and grand crus.) These are not wines for those expecting subtlety or “transparency” – they are packed with intense flavors, bold structure and occasionally extravagant finishes. The 2012s are no exception, but for the most part these wines handles the new oak with aplomb, principally because a combination of grand crus and old vines give the solid foundation for that level of new oak, that culminate in a quite audacious Mazis-Chambertin. Of course, as Bernard mentioned, his preponderance of old vine material meant that he was hit hard by millerandage and as a consequence yields are miniscule: around 18 or 19hl/ha. The harvest commenced on 21 September with the premier crus and like many growers the malo-lactics were late, which meant that I was unable to taste two or three crus such as the Gevrey Petite Chapelle. If you like your Burgundy packed full of intensity but with finesse and do not mind cellaring for a decade a more, Dugat-Py is the place to come.
Importer: The Sorting Table, LLC, 1700 Second Street Suite 380
Napa, CA 94559 ; tel: 707-603-1466 and also through Lea & Sandeman in the UK.
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