Allen Meadows'
Issue 17, 2005
The 2002 and 2003 Côte de Nuits Reds

Corinne Rousseau reports that 2003 “is much better than we thought”. It was so ripe at first that we weren’t sure what to make of it but now it’s clear that it’s at least very good and may very well turn out to be outstanding as the wines possess superb concentration. As to the growing season, we began the harvest on August 23 rd and continued through to the 31 st. We lost about 50% of a normal crop but at least sugars were good, coming in between 13.5 and 13.7%. There was clearly low acidity but decent pHs and because there wasn’t much malic acid to begin with, there really wasn’t much of a change in pH or total acidities before and after the malos. We shortened the cuvaison to 10 days from the usual 15 and there was also a good deal less pigeage. We were constantly tasting the musts, in fact multiple times a day, even sometimes hourly to make sure that we weren’t going to create tannic monsters, which would have been easy to do. I believe that 2003 will age much better than many people believe, and this is particularly true at the grand cru level.”. The Rousseau ‘03s are really quite impressive a good deal less ’03 in style than most. For readers who may no be aware, the oak regimen chez Rousseau varies considerably, with the Gevrey up through the Mazis being aged in 2 years old wood, the Clos de la Roche and Ruchottes in 15% new wood and the “big three” in 100% new wood. The present plan is to bottle as usual in July though some of the lower level wines might be bottled in May, depending on how the fruit matures. (Frederick Wildman and Sons, New York, NY, Berry Brothers & Rudd, The Wine Society, Heyman, Barwell & Jones, O.W. Loeb and Justerini & Brooks, all UK)


Cabotte, dans le clos de Bèze

2003 Gevrey-Chambertin
Pretty, elegant and quite pure red fruit with earthy, sweet and low acid flavours and a sappy, nicely concentrated and notably complex finish. This is supple, easy and forward but quite attractive all the same.
(86-88)/ 2007+

2003 Gevrey-Chambertin "Lavaux St. Jacques"
This is exceptionally elegant with ripe but still classic red pinot fruit aromas complemented by the natural minerality of Lavaux. The supple, easy mid palate is underpinned by buried tannins and the minerality gives the finish a bit of lift and though this is not especially complex just now, it is really a very pretty effort.
(86-89)/ 2008+

2003 Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Cazetiers"
(40 to 45 year old vines). This is a step up in aromatic complexity with spicy ripe red and black fruit aromas complemented by hints of plum and earth that are followed by sweet, rich, full and punchy flavors that are decidedly firmer on the moderately long finish. This is a lovely combination of elegance and Gevrey earth, all wrapped in very fine tannins.
(87/90)/ 2009+

2003 Charmes-Chambertin
The freshest nose to this point with exuberant, pure and very pretty red pinot fruit nuanced by spice, earth and subtle underbrush notes that give way to supple, easy and very forward middle weight flavours that don’t quite possess the same degree of finishing complexity as the Cazetiers and this is a bit shorter as well.
(87-89)/2008+


2003 Mazis-Chambertin
This too is very fresh but with a distinctly different aromatic profile as here the aromas run much more towards the earthy, sauvage and strongly herbal end of the spectrum with dark pinot fruit notes. The delicious, sappy and exuberant flavors are not especially dense but there is plenty of punch and solid finishing structure that has a dusty character to it. I quite like this as there is ample flavour authority and fine length.
(88-91) / 2010+

2003 Clos de la Roche
Somber, reserved and serious with plum, cassis and black cherry fruit aromas lead to complex, concentrated and ultra pure and gorgeously textured mouth coating flavours. This is muscular, dusty and intense and possesses a firmly tannic spine yet retains ample finesse. While this doesn’t quite have the depth of the best in this range, it’s an impressive wine and most attractive.
(89-92) / 2010+.

2003 Ruchottes-Chambertin "Clos des Ruchottes"
Knockout aromas of kirsch, black cherry, truffle, underbrush and smoked meat combine with rich, precise and punchy mineral infused medium full flavours that culminate in a supple, round, sweet and earthy finish. While the flavour profiles are completely different, qualitatively this is the equal of the Clos de la Roche.
(89-92) / 2010+

2003 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru "Clos St.-Jacques"
A subtle touch of wood spice frames elegant, pure and moderately ripe red pinot fruit aromas that possess nuances of plum, cassis and clove that lead to very round, supple, supple and pretty middle weight flavours underpinned by buried structure and a stunningly complex and beautifully long finish. This is not a big or powerful wine but it brings a strikingly pretty combination of finesse, complexity and inner mouth feel. Stylish and classy.
(90-92) / 2010+

2003 Chambertin Clos de Bèze
This is more of everything here including aromatic complexity, size, weight, muscle and sheer depth. The aromas here are truly remarkable with raspberry and ripe black berry notes complemented by spicy plum and a smoky perfume that is akin to musk. The rich, intense and full-bodied flavours are relatively supple yet wrapped in dense but fine tannins buffered by superb mid-palate sap. This is hugely long with a powerful and quite chewy finish. This should age for 25 to 30 years, perhaps longer as the balance is spot on
(91-93) / 2013+

2003 Chambertin
A deeply pitched yet wonderfully elegant nose of black pinot fruit, game even slightly animale and subtle underbrush notes complement perfectly balanced, pure and powerful flavors that pack plenty of punch and superb length.
This is a big if not massive wine with a dusty, lingering finish of real style and grace. At the moment, this is actually more refined than the Bèze, which is usually not the case at this early stage. This should age well for years and it will require at least a decade to really begin strutting its stuff.
(91-93) / 2013+



Number 104, 2003
Claude Kolms


2003 ON THE COTE DE NUITS :
The most bizarre and uneven in modern times

Armand Rousseau Père et Fils harvesting took place from 23 to 31 August. There was a green harvest for young vines (which would have suffered most from the drought). Although total acidities are low, pHs are average at the domain, they believe that there is more freshness in these wines than in the 1977s and even the 1998s. Harvesting was from 6.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Most wines were acidified, but very little, and vinifications were 10 days vs. 15 in normal year, and 15% of the stems were used in fermentation. Alcohol range from 13° to 13.6°.

The Gevrey Chambertin 2003 is an excellent example with pure, forward cassis and peach flavours. (86-89)

The Gevrey 1er cru Lavaux Saint Jacques 2003 shows some minerality and more structure with red fruit flavours and a lot of glycerine. (86-89)

The Gevrey 1er Cru Cazetiers 2003 is more powerful and more mineral in the nose. In the mouth, the wine is tighter with pure black fruits. (87-90)

Rousseau’s Charmes Chambertin 2003 has elegant blackberry aromas. In the mouth, the wine shows pure and precise cassis and cherry fruit with an overall elegant presentation. (88-91).

The Mazis Chambertin 2003 similarly has elegant blackberry aromas. In the mouth, the wine is smooth, pure and deep with black fruit and more structure than the Charmes, but again an overall impression of purity and elegance. (88-91).

For years, observers have spoken of Rousseau’s top three wines being a bread apart, and others have now began to recognise the Ruchottes Chambertin as being in the category, but the truth is that the Clos de la Roche 2003 belongs there, too, at least since 1993 (which is showing beautiful right now). The wine is quite mineral in the nose and shows greater concentration and structure than the forgoing with purity and juicy fruit plus great finesse. (90-93).

The Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes 2003 also is very mineral at the nose. The mouth displays pure red currant fruit with fine depth, length, and the normal laciness for this cru. (90-93).
This wine and the Clos de La Roche have 15% new wood; the following wines are all new wood as is customary.

The Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Clos Saint Jacques 2003 is deep and direct but somewhat jammy in the nose, with red and dark fruits and some spice. In the mouth, this wine shows more depth and power than the Ruchottes, as is customary, with red and black fruits and long finish. (91-94).

The Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2003 displays typical animal aromas followed by good firmness and dark fruits in the mouth, especially blackberry. This is a powerful wine that coats the mouth and should age well. (92-95).

Last The Chambertin 2003 is more mineral than the Bèze, with cassis in the nose, too. In the mouth, the wine shows good, structure, depth, and harmony, and a touch of cocoa to go with the black currant flavours. A long finish. (92-95)


Clive Coates' The Vine
No. 240 / January 2005
2003 Red Burgundy

 

 

Charles Rousseau, who is now 81 years old, macerated his 2003s for 10 days rather than 15. I found the Mazy a little diffuse (usually it’s the Charmes), but the rest of the range was very lovely.

Gevrey Chambertin 2003
Medium colour. Lovely plump, fruity nose.
No hard edges. Fresh end stylish. Not a lot of tannin. Medium body. Ripe. Quite rich. Good Acidity. Long. Shows very well. Good intensity at the end. From 2007.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru « Lavaux Saint Jacques » 2003
Richer. Slightly fuller. Good depth. Ripe tannins. Plenty of energy. Classy and long on the palate. Very good. From 2008


Eric Rousseau, Vendanges 2003

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru «  Les Cazetiers” 2003
A bit more colour. A bit more substance. Lovely rich cassis fruit. Surprisingly classic. Very ripe. Fullish body. Good tannins. A wine of flair and complexity. Lovely long finish. Very good indeed. From 2009

Charmes-Chambertin 2003
Quite firm and rich on both the nose and the attack. Good grip. This is rather more serious than Rousseau’s Charmes often is. Good backbone and concentration and intensity. Fine. From 2010.

Mazis-Chambertin 2003
A little diffuse on the nose. This is less impressive for once. Medium to medium-full body. It doesn’t have the dimension and grip it usually has. Yet clean and not short. Very good plus at best. From 2009.

Clos De La Roche 2003
Plump, ample nose with a touch of red fruits. Ripe and rich. Fullish body. Slightly less advanced. Not completely consistent from A to Z, but decent grip and style. Very good indeed. From 2010.

Ruchottes-Chambertin, « Clos Des Ruchottes » 2003
Quite firm, full, rich hand intense. Good depth and concentration. Lovely black fruit flavours. Very classic. Very long. Lots of class and dimension. Fine plus. From 2011.

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1 er Cru « Clos Saint Jacques » 2003
Rich full concentrated and very lovely. A little new oak. Very ripe tannins. This has splendid intensity, grip and class. Lots of dimension. Very long and impressive. And surprisingly classic. Very fine. From 2012.


Le Clos Saint Jacques,
quelques semaines après les vendanges 2003

Chambertin Clos De Bèze 2003
A little more oaky, but not as much grip and depth as the Clos St Jacques. But the nose is the best part. This doesn’t quite have the complexity at the end. Admittedly, it is less advanced. The racking in September might have affected it more. But today fine plus rather fine. From 2011.

Chambertin 2003
This is clearly better than the above. Full and rich and concentrated. Very impressive depth and character of fruit. Very good grip. Long and classy and multidimensional. The fruit is really deliciously complex and seductive. Very fine indeed. From 2013.