2016 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Armand Rousseau, Burgundy

20% new oak.

Rich and denser than most Rousseau wines. Morey drive. Edge of tannin and acidity. Really quite marked even though we are not tasting from a new cask). Firm. It definitely needs to be aged—lots to chew on, with the haunting bouquet emerging only at the very end at the moment.

Drink 2026 - 2040

This is from a 1.48 ha holding, 1 ha of which is in Les Fremières and the rest in Clos de la Roche proper; 20% new wood in 2015.

Reduction dominates the nose, but I doubt it will last as fruit nuances are 'visible'. The broad-shouldered flavours possess even better size, weight, and mid-palate concentration while offering fine power and drive in the sappy, complex, and balanced finale. I very much like the overall sense of harmony, though again, at least moderate patience is strongly advised.

Drink from 2031 onward

25% new oak

Bright, dark red. Very ripe, musky nose combines purple fruits, mocha, brown spices and game, along with some subtle earth notes. The sweetest of these 2016s to this point but also fine-grained and elegant, with its intense fruit and soil flavors nicely framed by lively acidity. Very rich, dense and alive. Offers a classic Clos de la Roche combination of fruits, spices and soil character.

It is richer, deeper, and brighter in colour, with a firmer, more backward nose compared to the Mazy-Chambertin). It has the same dark red cherry fruit profile but with a little extra intensity. Certainly, it has a memorable finish, tasted from a one-year-old barrel.

When I tasted the 2016 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru from barrel, I wasn't convinced that it could match Rousseau's finest recent renditions of this cuvée such as the 2012, 2010 or 2005. From bottle, the wine has closed the gap, wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of cherries, ripe red berries, raw cocoa, beetroot and sweet soil tones. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a pretty core of fruit framed by fine-grained tannins and lively acids. This is a delicate, sapid Clos de la Roche that will drink well with a decade of bottle age.

Drink 2026 - 2045