Chanson : Charmes-Chambertin Grand cru 2016

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 from Chanson

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a deep ruby-red hue with purple highlights, reflecting the wine’s youth and concentration.

Nose

The bouquet reveals lovely aromatic complexity, with fragrances of roses and stewed red fruits, alongside notes of tobacco and spice. A delicate touch of vanilla rounds out the whole.

Palate

On the palate, this grand cru is complex and perfectly balanced. The texture is taut and deep, carried by well-integrated tannins. Black-fruit aromas unfold with elegance through to a supple, lingering finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru pairs ideally with full-flavored meats such as roast duck, goose, or feathered game. It also matches beautifully with venison and aged hard cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

The Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve until around 2036. It is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 15 and 17°C.

A Gevrey-Chambertin grand cru crafted by a historic Burgundy House

The estate

Founded in 1750 in Beaune, the estate Chanson is among the oldest Burgundy houses still in operation. Owned by the Bollinger group since 1999, it draws on a vineyard of around 88 hectares: 43 historic hectares in Côte de Beaune, certified organic in 2024, complemented by 45 hectares acquired in 2023 in Côte Chalonnaise.

The vineyard

This Charmes-Chambertin wine comes from vineyards spanning around 22.5 hectares in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, in Côte de Nuits. Located just below the famous Chambertin, this grand cru benefits from an east-facing exposure that encourages slow, harmonious ripening. The soils are composed mainly of outcropping limestone with a thin top layer, mixed with marl. This distinctive geology lends the wines minerality, complexity, and structure, enabling the vines to develop remarkable longevity.

The vintage

The year 2016 in Burgundy was marked by particularly challenging weather conditions. A devastating frost at the end of April destroyed around thirty percent of the region’s harvest. The wet spring then encouraged the development of downy mildew, while summer brought pronounced drought. Fortunately, rainfall in September helped to save the situation. Despite these challenges, the surviving grapes developed thick skins and excellent sanitary quality, producing concentrated wines with deep color and intense aromas of black fruits, violet, and spices.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 were harvested by hand and transported in perforated crates to preserve their integrity. After a rigorous sorting, the bunches were mostly destemmed before fermentation in small temperature-controlled vats for two to three weeks. The wine was then pressed using a vertical press, and aged in French oak barrels for fifteen to twenty months, with around thirty percent new oak.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir