1998 Chambertin, Grand Cru, Domaine Armand Rousseau, Burgundy

Full, rich, backward nose. Still youthful. Full body. Very good grip. Still needs time in 2008). Splendid intensity, vigour concentration and class. Very, very long. It's all here. A great wine.

It had been almost 10 years since I last tasted this and it has become an impressive wine particularly so because of the superb complexity. The nose has turned largely secondary in character with plenty of spice, earth, game and dried red berry fruit characters. There is fine density to the rich, muscular and quite powerful medium-bodied flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the beautifully long finish where the only nit is a touch of backend astringency. No, the balance isn't perfect but as I already mentioned, the sheer depth more than compensates for the slight tannic edge. For my taste, this has arrived at its full maturity though it should hold effortlessly for years to come.

Drink now

The 1998 Chambertin is one of the real surprises in this tasting. From a vintage that never got much of a look, Rousseau's Chambertin is a pure and total delight. It is not the most complex wine in the vertical, nor is it the most pedigreed, but it is absolutely exquisite, as all of its elements are in perfect balance. The plum, sweet tobacco, menthol and red cherry flavours, along with the wine's soft, open-knit personality, make the 1998 impossible to resist today. Readers looking for a vintage of the Rousseau Chambertin that is peaking will find much to admire in the 1998.

Drink 2017 - 2027

The 1998 Chambertin Grand Cru has a leafier bouquet than the 1996 compared, alongside undergrowth and cracked black pepper, hints of peppermint, and even a touch of liquorice. It does not quite have the breeding of the aforementioned 1996. The palate is smooth on the entry and fleshy with moderate depth. Mellow, cohesive, lightly spiced, surprising richness on the finish yet without the pedigree of the finest vintages. Tasted at the Rousseau Chambertin vertical at La Vienne.

Drink 2022 - 2040

A solid dense and youthful colour. The nose has a slightly burned edge. There is a rich ripe concentration, a lot of energy for a vintage decried by many and denounced loudly by some. Notes of blood orange, still good acidity, while fractionally rough tannins take the edge off perfection. If you take this ‘warts and all’ it is a lovely wine, still with the power to grow. I love the perfumed red berry fruit of the aftertaste. But note that this will never be the most graceful of vintages and the wine had not gained in finesse when revisited 60 minutes later.