2008 Charmes Chambertin
By Domaine Georges Roumier
2008 Charmes Chambertin from Domaine Georges Roumier, Burgundy
The 2008 vintage in Burgundy has been a subject of fascination for aficionados and investors alike, characterised by its idiosyncratic weather patterns that challenged the vignerons' virtuosity. In this milieu, the 2008 Charmes Chambertin from Domaine Georges Roumier stands as a testament to the craft and resilience embedded within the region's winemaking heritage.
Complexity Born of Challenge
In Burgundy, 2008 unfurled with precipitation and cooler temperatures, leading many to surmise a difficult year for the vineyards. Yet, what ensued was a remarkable turnaround, with an Indian summer saving the crop and allowing an extended maturation period. This fortuitous twist imparted an extraordinary complexity to the resulting wines.
The 2008 Charmes Chambertin from Domaine Georges Roumier encapsulates this drama in a bottle; it is one for the connoisseur who revels in deciphering layers of subtlety drawn from adversity. The nose offers an invitation with wafts of cherry and undergrowth while introducing undertones of minerality – a signature of Roumier's deft terroir expression.
Judging Maturity and Investment Potential
On the palate, this Grand Cru unravels with poise, marrying vibrancy with elegance—a balancing act that calls to mind the finesse of a seasoned ballet performer. Tannins are finely wrought, revealing depth without overshadowing the intricate latticework of red fruit and earthy nuance.
As a wine investment choice, the 2008 Charmes Chambertin shows promising maturity while suggesting further potential. Suited for those with patience, it mirrors the investor's optimism amidst market unpredictability, offering nuanced rewards over time.
To conclude, the 2008 Charmes Chambertin from Domaine Georges Roumier echoes the unique trajectory of its vintage year—flirting initially with challenge yet culminating in unexpected grace. For enthusiasts with a penchant for narratives encapsulated within their portfolio, this Grand Cru not only delights but serves as a beacon of Burgundy's resilience and Domaine Roumier's unwavering quality.
Market price (HKD)
HK$60,890.00
12x75cl
Highest score
90
POP score
637
Scores and tasting notes
Roumier's 2008 Charmes-Chambertin (from Mazoyeres), suggests - even on the nose - sauteed sweetbreads in its savory carnality, accompanied by ripe, fresh cherry. Hints of oregano, cherry pit bitterness, and alkali as well as chalk dust make for a cooling, slightly aloof aspect to this Pinot entirely free of superficial sweetness. A saliva-inducing salinity helps convey a more winsome message, but abundant if fine-grained tannins also suggest restraint. I would want to revisit this in a few years before attempting to predict a useful bottle life of more than a decade, though it's entirely possible that it was still suffering some post-bottling trauma when I tasted it in February. Christophe Roumier says his 2008 fruit demanded rigorous sorting to remove under-ripe bunches (whereas in 2007 this was necessary to remove rot), but he liked what was left enough to indulge in a significant proportion (most frequently 50%) of stems and whole clusters for the fermentations. "With such tiny, perfect berries, it was almost a shame to de-stem any of them," he remarks. Late to go through malo, like so many others of that year, these 2008s certainly preserve the vintage's primary virtues of vivacity and interactive complexity. Not more than 50% new wood was employed, to guard against loss of the vintage's vividly bright fruit in a vintage Roumier felt was unusually sensitive in that regard. Some of the 2008s remind him of 1980 or, more precisely, of what the 1980s could have become given today's standards of viticulture and selection. Roumier has a higher opinion of 2007 and their age-worthiness than do I, considering them superior to 2006 or 2008 - and given the way the two that I tasted from bottle showed, that opinion is not inexplicable. (I tasted the other Roumier 2007s too early in their evolution to render proper verdicts, although they were certainly effusively generous if not yet complex even pre-malo.) Roumier employed comparable percentages of stems and whole clusters, and indulged in more frequent pigeage than in 2008, comparing his resulting 2007s with 1985s. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2010