Rousseau 2008 complete horizontal

The full range of Armand Rousseau tasted under the tutelage of Michael Schuster. An opportunity in theory to learn something of the difference in character of the various vineyards, but what comes over most clearly is the progression in colour, concentration and sweetness as one goes up the range. The Charmes was tasted out of conventional order after the CdlR. The conventional order is right. Although some Rousseau watchers like to place the Ruchottes above the CSJ and Bèze above the Chambertin, I've always found the latter of each pair to have a bit more dimension.

• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  Quite deep red for a Rousseau, sweet middle, pretty cherry fruit, but finishes short

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Darker and richer than the straight villages, but sharper, in fact this has very high acid indeed, and is not hugely expressive

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Way bigger than the Lavaux, more fragrant, spicy, animale, some suplhur/reductive notes adding a bite. Lovely fresh Gevrey.

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru

  Lovely sweet fragrance so all the more surprising to find it tight on the palate, but fleshy and very pretty

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Softer and sweeter, with pretty piercing cherry fruit, but it's light and insubstantial without being truly ethereal

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Mazy-Chambertin 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Much richer, riper, more powerful than the Charmes, dark and spicy, very nice

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  And this in turns goes up another couple of notches in terms of darkness, richness, sweetness. Not so obviously Rousseau as the preceding wines, but clearly fine. [MS said firmly that this wine had no new oak, but it seemed to me to have some and Tanzer says it had 15%]

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  The progression continues as this tastes like the Ruchottes with everything cranked up a bit more, riper and richer (not just oakier), more expansive, a cherry fruit profile, very lovely

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  Darker, quite spicy, but not so forthcoming, but clearly suggesting future greatness.

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• 2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  Surprising just how much bigger and more expansive this than the Bèze, really tangy, vibrantly spicy. Spectacular already.

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