Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Rousseau 2008 complete horizontal
Bordeaux Index, London
Tasted May 1, 2012 by Rupert with 624 views
Introduction
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.
Flight 1 (2 notes)
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin
88 points
Quite deep red for a Rousseau, sweet middle, pretty cherry fruit, but finishes short
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques
88 points
Darker and richer than the straight villages, but sharper, in fact this has very high acid indeed, and is not hugely expressive
Flight 2 (2 notes)
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
90 points
Way bigger than the Lavaux, more fragrant, spicy, animale, some suplhur/reductive notes adding a bite. Lovely fresh Gevrey.
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
91 points
Lovely sweet fragrance so all the more surprising to find it tight on the palate, but fleshy and very pretty
Flight 3 (2 notes)
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin
89 points
Softer and sweeter, with pretty piercing cherry fruit, but it's light and insubstantial without being truly ethereal
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Mazy-Chambertin
91 points
Much richer, riper, more powerful than the Charmes, dark and spicy, very nice
Flight 4 (2 notes)
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
91 points
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%]
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
92 points
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
Flight 5 (2 notes)
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
93 points
Darker, quite spicy, but not so forthcoming, but clearly suggesting future greatness.
Red
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
94 points
Surprising just how much bigger and more expansive this than the Bèze, really tangy, vibrantly spicy. Spectacular already.