So let's compare 1996 Rousseau Chambertin and Chambertin close de Beze, and some other stuff

Last night we had the unique (at least for me) chance to compare these two amazing Rousseau wines side to side, plus sharing a number of other excellent bottles. This wonderful opportunity was provided by Robert in honor of yet another of his birthdays. The tasting was safely distanced, and held outside to maximize Covid safety. The outside part does, in my experience, make it more difficult to taste, and in particular to assess the fine points of the nose of the wines, but in our current times seems the safest way to get 5 people together for such an event. Wines were mostly double decanted 2-3 hours before, except the 99 Petit Monts, which was popped 1/2 hour before (there’s always someone who doesn’t get the memo).


1996 A. Rousseau Chambertin–Wonderfully enveloping dark red berry/plum fruit and spice on the effusive nose. The palate is similar–mouth filling and welcoming with nice length. There is acid here but it’s just part of a perfectly balanced whole–nothing to me me that would have identified this as a 96. (this would be a sort of ‘so there’ wine to serve to anyone having doubts about the 96 vintage).

1996 A. Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze–Very similar but slightly higher toned nose that is just a hint more reticent than the Chambertin. Palate is to me a little more complex. While the Chambertin is more of an ‘in your face’ full blast, the Clos de Beze has more defined layers for me that your brain can march it’s way through. I preferred the Beze; others preferred the Chambertin. Hard to make a distinction, as these were clearly the best wines I’ve had in a long time.

Other wines from the evening:

1999 Drouhin Vosne-Romanee ‘Petit Monts’–Beautiful nose of high toned red fruits (more on the raspberry part of the spectrum). Palate has settled into a comfortable maturity, with none of the “gee, I wish I had waited a few more years” feel that the 99’s had for quite a while.

2002 Drouhin Vosne-Romanee ‘Petit Monts’–nice to compare–this wine is less mature, still quite enjoyable. Nose is a little more restrained, but still a pleasure. Palate still has some unresolved tannins. Quite nice right now, but if I actually had some, I’d wait another 2-3 years.

2001 Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Clos St Jacques’–Ripe cherry nose with a hint of mint. Mid-weight, sweet palate with well integrated tannins. Nicely mature and in a good spot now.

1999 Roty Mazy-Chambertin–No doubt about who made this wine in the first few seconds. Smoky oak on the nose, along with gobs of dark black/red fruit. The palate is rich with concentrated fruit and long. Very interesting now, but I think will integrate more over the next 5-10 years.

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Definitely agree on your 96 Rousseau notes. I vacillate over which one I prefer more based on the latest one I’ve tried. They are both such incredible wines but show distinction between each other.

Yeah, I’ve always preferred Beze when I’ve had the occasional chance to try the Chambertins, but it’s hard to know if it’s producer preference, or year, or what. I’ve never had the chance to try the same producer, same year, head to head. (there are only three producers where you can do this, as best I know.)

At least four (I believe) - Rousseau, Faiveley, Jadot, Bouchard.

I was thinking of those who grew their own grapes (that would be rousseau, Damoy and Jacques Prieur). I actually didn’t know that the latter three put out both a chambertin and a Clos de beze, but if they do, at least one is from purchased grapes.

I don’t know which of the ones from the big 3 houses are domaine vs negoce bottled. I do think, though, that Faiveley was a bit of an overstatement for me to include as they only appear to have made a Chambertin sporadically, at least according to CT (2000, 2012, 2013, and 2014 only among vintages starting with a “2”). I must have been thinking of their Mazis when I thought they made a Chambertin in addition to their Beze.

Producers who make both Chambertin and Beze:
Bernstein
Bichot
Boillot
Bouchard
Chanson
Damoy
Drouhin
Jadot
Perrot Minot
Ponsot
Jacques Prieur
Rousseau

Yes. I stand corrected in a way. there are several “producers” who have put out both a chambertin and a ChCdB, but many of these are from purchased grapes or purchased juice. (the tasting note on 2015 Jadot Chambertin from Vinous said “not vinified by Jadot”). A number of folks own land in one of the vineyards, and buy grapes from the other. a few just mix them together (eg Dujac) if they own small plots in each. I think the only three that own and make wines from both are Rousseau, Damoy, and Jacques Prieur, unless there has been some quite recent change.

Jacques Prieur Beze is now typically blended with Chambertin. Assuredly there may be vintages where small lots are vinified separately and used for promotional purposes or given in entirety to specific markets. However, Prieur Beze has not been commercialized in the US specifically via authorized channels for a decade at least. And wine-searcher does not show a vintage more current than 1999 globally.

“Clos de Bèze is a spiritual wine. Chambertin isn’t.”
-Jacques Lardiere

Thanks, Emile. I didn’t know that.

those are my 2 favorite Drouhins.

I have never seen a bottle of Prieur Beze in the US from a vintage this century. The plot must be small if now blending with Chambertin. So, even when the wine was bottled separately there was probably not much produced.

Keep in mind that Prieur has been culling young vines from Chambertin and declassifying and bottling as Gevrey 1er Cru for quite some time. So, combining Beze with the older vine Chambertin may be more practical from a production and commercial perspective.

Nicely done!

I enjoyed your notes and the pics! [cheers.gif]

They have .15 Ha in Beze (and .83 Ha in Chambertin) per Jasper Morris’ last book.

I knew they put out a little bit of Beze, but had no idea they also had a Chambertin.

I am under the impression that the Drouhin Beze is Domaine and the Chambertin is Negoce.

Well, then, let’s try the 95 Rousseau Chambertin vs. Beze next time.

Great notes on the Rousseau wines. I haven’t had them side by side but last year had the Beze and was very impressed. It has been a few years since I’ve had the Chambertin but have always loved that wine too. But when Covid is over I do have a 96 Chambertin ready for a dinner with wine friends.

Wow, what a great and novel idea!