Discreet wood sets off a highly reserved and not quite as overtly ripe nose of dark berries, earth, and animale nuances that are trimmed in notes of spice, in particular anise, sandalwood and exotic tea scents. There is superbly good detail and focused power to the large-scaled flavors that also possess an outstanding concentration of structure buffering dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the intensely mineral-driven and explosively long finish. This is a youthfully austere example of the genre that is presently quite compact and linear and thus will require at least a decade to flesh out and unwind but if you have the patience to wait it should be a great Chambertin in 20+ years.

Rousseau's 2012 Chambertin towers out of the glass. Sophisticated, finessed yet also powerful to the core, the 2012 Chambertin captures a compelling range of expressions. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, mint, leather and cedar meld into a huge core of fruit in a dramatic, powerful Chambertin that will require considerable bottle age to show the full breadth of its potential