CHARMES CHAMBERTIN

2020 Aux Charmes Grand Cru Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs

EN PRIMEUR

From the top of Charmes proper - in 'aux Charmes', by Latricières Chambertin. Deep soil with a lot of limestone in it. He uses 70% whole bunches here, but scissored to remove the main stem. It gets 100% new wood, but it's a 'white toast' and what he calls a 'tartare' or raw toast, the idea being that the élevage straightens it and hones it into a finer, longer, shape rather than giving it any oaky sweetness. As usual this has a very gourmand immediacy, lovely fruit and good fresh acidity, all expressed quite delicately, then the intensity of the vintage coning in support, but always quite easy and generously relaxed. Drinking range: 2030 - 2045L&S (Nov 2021)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

Thibault uses 70% whole cluster here but cuts out the center stem with fingernail scissors, similar to Arnaud Mortet's vendange entière découpée. Twenty are on his team and each can cut through 20 kg of grapes in an hour. The resulting nose is certainly exotic with balsamic, strawberry preserves and spice drawer. Plus, the palate is very firm and woody. While it seems there is ample fruit and a broad palate here to absorb the whole cluster, it will take some time. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 95 Christy Canterbury MW - TimAtkin.com (Feb 2022)

(from Charmes proper). Discreet wood frames elegant, pure and exuberantly floral-suffused aromas of earth, red and dark fruit and lovely spice wisps. The equally elegant and refined middle weight plus flavors are supported by surprisingly fine tannins on the balanced, long and impressively complex finale. This is really very good; indeed after the Richebourg it’s the second most interesting wine in the range in 2020. Drinking range: 2032 - Rating: 93-95 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2022)

70% whole bunches, in the trimmed stem version. Dense black purple, and a very rich dark raspberry fruit with some black cherry. Almost exaggerated but in fact not. Thibault notes that elements of finesse became apparent later in the vinification rather than at the start which is interesting. Work at the end paid off. This becomes so much more stylish than one could imagine from the initial attack. Long classy and charming. Tasted: November 2021 Rating: 94-97 Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy  (Jan 2022)

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Aux Charmes Grand Cru was picked with the central stem removed by hand, matured in 100% new oak. It has quite an opulent bouquet with vibrant red cherries and crushed strawberry scents, just a mote of wet clay. The palate is charming with ripe red fruit, fine grip, quite an expansive Charmes-Chambertin but maybe just missing a little delineation on the finish. Drinking range: 2025 - 2042 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Dec 2021)

The lack of the word 'domaine' in the name signals that this is a négociant wine from Thibault Liger-Belair. On the whole Thibault buys grapes having tended the vines with his own team, so that the wines are domaine wines in all but name.

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