Gevrey Chambertin, Domaine Armand Rousseau 2005

A lovely and expressive nose that is unusually broad relative to its normal backward state features a pretty mix of red, black and violet earth-infused aromas that lead to rich, supple and round flavors that possess good depth and a nervy and racy finish, all wrapped in a nicely long finish.

The domaine's 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin represents a union of fruit from many different parcels south and east of town for which the fruit was de-stemmed. Flatteringly sweetly-fruited, indeed subtly candified on the nose and palate, it offers a roasted underlying meatiness and subtle hints of caramelization continuing with a satisfyingly sweetly-rich, gentle finish. In short, as is the proprietor's intent, this is "supple and agreeable" not to mention reeking of vintage-typical ripeness. With Eric Rousseau taking over increasingly from his father Charles, bottling may end up being slightly earlier than in the past, but such routine features as triage exclusively in the vineyards (not the press house), the inclusion of whole clusters and stems, precocious malolactic fermentation (although in 2005 and 2006, at least, Rousseau says he didn't force this), reliance on older barrels, and an eventual light plaque filtration for all wines remain as before. Given the long-running success of these Pinots in subtly yet insistently conveying the distinct personalities of their sites and standing the test of time, some might well ask "why change the recipe?" while others will wonder whether the wines could be made even better. In any event, nature conspired to hand the new generation a vintage of historic dimensions.