Domaine Francois Bertheau, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Les Charmes

"Farewell thou thing, time past so known, so dear To me as blood to life and spirit..." Thus begins Robert Herrick's poem "His Farewell to Sack," in which he announces that he will henceforth stop drinking wine. He goes on for another 50 or so lines enumerating the reasons he loves wine, and it's hard to argue that anyone has ever written a more heartfelt and lyrical ode to the wine drinking experience. The passion that spills out makes you …

2010 vintage

Sweet spices and a touch of heat of the 2009 vintage. Charming but the 2010 with its complexity and depth is in another league.

2009 vintage

Small Supper with Friends - Mixed Burgs (Chez Moi) : Served blind. Beautiful nose with dark fruits at the core and any number of highlights in the margins; marzipan and a touch of Biscoff crumb to name two. The palate is youthful with delicate strawberry fruit and lovely lacy acids. Lovely wine.

2010 vintage

Nose of baking spices, a touch herbaceous to add nuance. With 45 minutes of air, wine showed itself more. Structured and may require more time. Wants to feel serious, would pair with food to enjoy now.

2010 vintage

Added a lot of wonderful tertiary complexity since last time. Autumn leaves, tea leaves, whiff of black pepper. Very Chambolle, very fragrant, very elegant and long. Top class.

2010 vintage

Slightly faded ruby (surprisingly more faded than the 1996 Barthod Charmes before it); Lovely pretty pot-pouri, very aromatic, flral, gorgeous mouthfeel, concentration; soft dry tannins, absolutely lovely per cru and pure Chambolle! Liked this jsut slightly more than the '96 Barthod. Duck House EWG

2010 vintage

Chambolle session at home. Tasted blind. Drank in Grassl Cru. Guessed as 2011 Chambolle Charmes. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of sous bois earth, red plum, red cherries, raspberry, tinge of metal. Peony flower with more air. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity but dipping at times, medium alcohol (13.5%), resolved medium- tannins, medium body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of savoury sous bois earth, flashes of metallic elements, …

2010 vintage

Maison Dakota tasting, Singapore. Transparent. Translucent and browning a bit. Archetypal Chambolle. Spices, pot pourri and a pure red fruit with a nicely polished quality. What you get on well-executed destemmed CdN fruit. My WOTN.

2010 vintage

Tuesday dinner with friends (Cornus) : Garnet colour. Slightly earthy, faded glory character - it's wearing an old tweed jacket and the shirt cuffs are dirty. A fellow diner mentioned something about parma violets - no this is absurd. He offers me his glass to smell - this is an entirely different wine. I get a new glass - this is fab - ethereal, delicate but fully self-confident, there's lovely structure and a persistent finish. Some discussion as to what …

2010 vintage

Some Classy Wines at Cornus (Cornus, London) : Decanted for 90 minutes. Wow what a terrific Burgundy. Very Chambolle. Layer after layer of pretty red fruits; rosehip, peppery cranberry, touch of smoke and so perfumed. Some Tonka bean (which for me is vanilla without the sweetness) as well. Fabulous. Palate is texturally gorgeous and so well balance. Redcuurrants and beautiful acids caress the palate on entry. The mid palate sees some hints of Rooibos tea join the fray and on …

2010 vintage

PNP. In a good spot tonight. Nose is very clean and shows pure red cherry fruit. Ripe but not overripe palate, moderate acidity and a little dusty tannin on the finish.

2009 vintage

Broad Horizontal Tasting of the 2010 Vintage (San Francisco) : Opened 3 hours before serving. Pale red, faded. Wafting floral, herb, and red berry scents. Light to medium weight. Supple, elegant, flowing mix of red fruit, soil, and moderate acidity. Very pretty and one of the most open, mature reds we tasted today.

2010 vintage

PNP. Better after being open for 1+ hours. Red and black fruits, some soil/funk and herbs on the nose. Palate is deep and saline infused with muted cherry flavors and nice depth without weight.

2009 vintage

drank over two nights... gassed and fridg'd btwn nites one and two... anyway, beautiful tasting on the PnP, but when drinking on night one (after 4 hour decant) and on night two, there developed a bit of bitterness... this cut into the beautiful purple fruit and acidic lift this had, still enjoyable but the bitterness did take the score from like 94 down to 92... my last bottle (of only two)... surprised for a 2010 to have this kind of …

2010 vintage

The nose was a bit restained with spice, oak, ginseng and darkish red fruit. Palate was not as giving as the previous bottle as the fruit did not fully blossom.

2010 vintage

Gorgeous wine, as archetypal a Chambolle as I could ask for. It's light bodied, bursting with fresh red fruits and florals to start with a beautiful perfumed intensity to the aromatics, and a palate presence that's all silk and airiness. There's some development apparent here with savoury earthy notes that emerge more with air, though after this has been open for a few hours there's also a very faint, high-toned herbal element that emerges in the background.

2010 vintage

Burgundy and Barolo (Châteauneuf-du-Salil, Albany) : [Standing open for about an hour when we first tasted it.] Gorgeous red fruit and flowers in the nose. Classic Chambolle with lovely perfume, red fruit, and elegance. Expansive. Continues to show more and more as the evening progresses. There is a touch of something herbal on the finish that adds to the complexity. What more could you want from a premier cru. A beautiful wine and a joy to drink.

2010 vintage

Light garnet color. I gave this about four hours of air. Young in terms of years, but appeared more aged than I'd expect. I'm not sure how much bottle variation you get with a producer this small. I read the notes below. This is an annual purchase for me and has been for years. Rather full for a Bertheau. More sweet than usual. This wine has a ripe strawberry to open and then a meaty, ferrous, funky undercurrent comes in …

2010 vintage

Reasonably consistent with a bottle from three years ago with perhaps a little more layering and intrigue. Cruising along in a peak drinking window. Classic.

2010 vintage

Blinded. Coming after the Dandelion, this immediately established/discerned itself as the more tradition, serious wine. A wine of refinement. Beautiful notes of cherries, strawberries mixed with spice (and just bits of oak) rose from the glass with a few swirls. Silky, velvety & layered mouthfeel, this was red-fruit driven w/ hints of forest-floor. Overall, it had nice weight/depth. Very delicious. This will continue to keep & should improve even further with more age.

2010 vintage

A Good Wednesday: Bertheau x3, Arnoux, Geantet Pansiot, Niellon, Guffens Heynen; 3/20/2024-3/22/2024 : Blind #2...Coravin....Slightly funky, meaty, tertiary nose. Most different of the other two Bertheau blinds. Really woke up with air. Seemingly least ready, even moreso than Bonnes Mares. Needs air, than quite nice.

2010 vintage

tasted blind quite light in color but full of flavor. deftly extracted, a sexy production that is close to or at its peak. for many the WOTN

2010 vintage

Lovely wine. Balanced, if somewhat restrained. Lithe, really. Wonderful fruit, long finish, and enjoyed by everyone.

2010 vintage

Opens with a beam of bright red tart cherry, much briar, med+ acid and medium tannic grip. Softens with airtime to share riper red fruit cushioned in a complexity sois bois and briar stems. Just entering its’ drinking window and years of development to go. 13.5% Alc. Nicely balanced and interesting to the bottom of the bottle, but seemed like a wine to appreciate more than to love. From Amoureuses, I hope for swooning, head-over-heels passion. This is a bottle …

2010 vintage

2010 Red Burgundy (Allen & Overy, London) : Much more bricking than the Bourgogne (and its flight-mate), and a lot more development immediately obvious on the nose, which was soulful, somewhat meaty, and oh so pretty. The palate was harmonious and fine-boned, with high acidity, a blood/iron note and a silky finish. Classic Chambolle, although I fear this wine may now have peaked (~10 bottles showed consistently across the room).

2010 vintage

Burgundy WIMPS October 2023 (La Trompette) : Nice mature nose, a little sous boise but some dark cherry and blue plum. Lovely nearly sweet red fruit on the attack, super sapid mid palate and finish with a little pomegranate tang. Lovely.

2010 vintage

Brambly-spicy nose. Spicy blackberry/plum fruit. Touch of gunflint, brambles and greenbriar, integrated low-med tannins and low acid. 13.5% Alc. Harmonious and delicious- this is not super-complex, but its not boring either. In a great place right now.

2010 vintage

Showing really well now, classic Chambolle with very elegant soft red fruits but with good depth and length.

2010 vintage

had after the '12. rather similar tutti fruiti, muscular, and tannic. Needs more time. Today the bertheau '10 charmes is more charming.

2010 vintage

nose - bulls blood, exotic mouth - delicious wine with a lovely fruity-savory interplay. Lovely tart which very much brings fresh fruit to the forefront of the mind. Showing better than the Bertheau '10 Amoureuses, at least tonight. WOTN.

2010 vintage

Lunch chez moi with AG, JP & FG (The Shed, Ealing) : Brought by a friend. Tasted just before a Francois Lamarche Vosne Romanée 1er Malconsorts. Well, this was quite something from the off. I love it when one opens a bottle and it is just magical from the start, you just know you're in for a treat. A beguiling nose of cherry and warm spice; so much depth. The palate caresses. Light but substantial. And perhaps the real class …

2010 vintage

Atlanta Amoureuses & Monty Dinner : Power and depth combined with elegance. Definitely the best showing of the night for Bertheau.

2010 vintage

Wow, a big step up from their 2009, this 2010 is precise with cool, dark fruit, forest floor and sweet spices. Fresh palate, silky tannins, long finish. Great showing, 2010 my favorite Burg vintage does it again. 94+

2010 vintage

Lean; tart; light raisin; light silky finish.

1988 vintage

Slow oxed for 2h. Muted nose, closed still. Aromas of sweet spices, earhty elwments, raspberry, good but not overly complex. Elegant palate with well judged tannins, good mid mouth presence. Early drinking window. Drink now till 2029. 92-93

2009 vintage

Decanted for 8 hours. This got better with the long decant, as initially it was tart and clenched. Served blind, favorite wine of the flight. On opening: Pale red color, with very fine sediment. Raspberry spice nose, silky palate with a very clenched tart berry finish. At tasting: Spice, florals, red fruits on the nose. Lithe palate, saline infused texture, very subtle. Lovely sweetness on the back end of the palate that lingers on the finish.

2010 vintage

Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny Amoureuses 2010. Dette er en pen vin, men kommer ikke helt opp og nikker med det første. Masse luft nødvendig. Småsexy lurer i bakgrunnen. Pen frukt, konsentrert men vektløs. Fint syrespill. Flott lang finish med fine tanniner. Dette trenger nok mer tid. 92p

2010 vintage

Red with fading. Slightly brambly red fruit nose, quite aromatic. Light to medium weight. Tart cherry, good soil, and a whiff of green herb. Really saline finish. At least very good but fell a little short in its texture and impact. Probably just about fully mature. Rounder and better after being recorked overnight with a new bit of clove, but I'm still not convinced that it is at the usual Bertheau Premier Cru level.

2009 vintage

Tasted over 3 hrs -semi-translucent mild bricking -fairly expressive warm earth black pepper note savory mature elements -med/med+ acidity, med/med- weight sappy intensity bright red fruit with very faint sousbois -while this bottle is more advanced than I would expect at this age, it is snappy and lively even as it is entering into full maturity

2010 vintage

The 2010 Bertheau Amoureuses is one of the silkiest and purest expression of Amoureuses. Unlike many ’10 Premier / Grand Cru which are still too young at the moment, this Amoureuses is highly expressive and gorgeously complex. Precise and transparent array of strawberries, cherries, violets, and exotic spicy backbone. High pitched and ethereal with a touch of stems. great lift and energy with an exceptionally long finish. (93/100)

2010 vintage

Perfumed and feminine Les Amoureuses that has great pure fruit in solid backbone. Love the fruit precision and balance. Showing beautifully already at this age.

2010 vintage

Wine group tasting. Served blind. Kim's wine. Nose is a little brooding, not giving a ton, a little oak char and citrus. Rich fruit, with a sweet core built with a lot of concentration and intensity but in an austere style with silky tannins and a clenched finish. Good but needs time.

2010 vintage

So fresh. So open and charming. Cherries, raspberries and red currant. Much better than expected. Drink now or in next 4-5 years

2009 vintage

A dazzling and mesmerizing bouquet of red berries and cherries, orange marmalade, manuka honey, dried tea leaves, floral spices and forest nature. Very nice array of bright red bing cherry fruits flavors, vibrant acidity integrated with a complex mixed old wooden toasty barrels, stony minerals, forest floor, sous bois, supported by supple tannins. Amazing length and a splendid finish. A superb and contemplating wine that is drinking nicely.

2010 vintage

Tasted blind - A gorgeous bouquet of fresh strawberries, blackcurrant, rose petals, and gravels. Sublime purity with mild volatile acidity (which I adored). Premier Cru weight with Grand Cru intricacy. Incredibly approachable and soft, old school style of very gentle extraction and destemmed (think Jacky Truchot), 2001? Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques? (92/100)

2010 vintage

Light red. More cherry than strawberry, and some fennel late on the nose. Light to medium body, wonderful soil base throughout. Ripe red fruit, very sound, tart acidity, and a touch of herbs. Some chocolate but not a bit too heavy or hot. Excellent and drinking at peak, although the 2007 tasted a few weeks ago was probably more classic, zippy Chambolle.

2009 vintage

PNP into Zalto Universal glass (“Fruit” day): Medium intensity ruby colour with a watery rim. Classic pinot red and blue bramble, berry fruits and some sweet florals and herbs. Some savoury and chocolate-like notes. Good focus. Racy acids, saline and good minerality. Great intensity too and a fine balance on palate. A bit of spice in the finish. Some alcohol towards the backend suggests the heat from this vintage Indeed very much Chambolle in character and a good old school …

2009 vintage

nose - nail polish remover mouth - very complex potent fruit, slightly bitter, not at all integrated

2009 vintage

Les Amoureuses and Empurau Dinner (Jade Palace) : Absolutely beautiful. This had a gorgeous Amoureuses nose, with wafts of flowery perfume, subtle red fruit and a little stream of earthy, mineral accents. The palate was everything an Amoureuses should be, slinky, silky, seductive, with a finest rustle of tannins and wonderfully integrated acidity wrapped around a deceptively thick, rich core of dark cherries, all infused with a wonderful spiciness, with shades of florals and just that little bit of bramble …

2010 vintage

Encroyable! This is so aromatic. The palate is still quite young but so sexy. Great length of finish. I love this. Wife approval too.

2010 vintage

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Domaine Francois Bertheau, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Les Charmes

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