Purity and Elegance
2010 Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny
1er Cru Charmes
Lacking in Artifice, but Not Greatness
"An exercise in harmony and balance." -Burghound
Sometimes we fall deep into cynicism thinking that there are no new discoveries to be made in Burgundy.
And then, we taste wines like Bertheau's... They've become an obsession as of late. We've been drinking our way through a small parcel of back-vintage Bertheau - a beautiful 86 Amoureuses at Jungsik, a 92 Charmes opened at the store for some friends.
These are some of the most exciting red Burgs we've tasted in years.
Bertheau falls within the stylistic spectrum of producers like Jean-Marie Fourrier and Jacky Truchot. These are wines that favor grace over power, wines that speak softly but with captivating precision. The style here is defined by purity and finesse.
Kermit Lynch, Bertheau's importer, calls him: "A gifted winemaker of the old school." In Bertheau's wines, you sense an utter lack of artifice.
With the back-vintage Bertheau's gone, we've turned our attention to the current releases and today we present a parcel of Bertheau's 2010 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Charmes.
Bertheau's 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Charmes is emphatically Chambolle with all its silken elegance and minerality. The combination of Bertheau's subtle and pure style and the 2010 vintage is thrilling.
2010 in Burgundy promises to be not only a great vintage, but also one that's quivering with terroir and purity in general. Allen Meadows of Burghound sums it up as follows: "if I had to choose one word to describe this heightened sense of transparency it would be crystalline."
It's this purity, this riveting sense of energy and minerality that make Bertheau's 2010 Chambolle Charmes so impressive. It possesses a jewel-like quality.
What's striking about Bertheau's wines is that they age not on density, but on balance and structural harmony. Wines like this are things of beauty... And, in the case of the 2010 Charmes, something to hold on to for a decade or more.
At this point Bertheau is not widely known (and prices reflect this) but these days seem numbered.
In 2010, value will be elusive - yields are down 30-40% and demand is way up. It's as simple as that. With only a .66ha parcel, Bertheau's Charmes is limited. Please give us your full request and we'll do our best.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director Fine & Rare Wines
Crush Wine & Spirits
1er Cru Charmes