1999 Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes

Domaine Armand Rousseau is a 35-acre estate in Gevrey-Chambertin, in Burgundy. It was founded in the early 20th century by Armand Rousseau who inherited vineyards then added more vineyards through marriage. By the standards of the region, Domaine Rousseau was a pioneer in bottling its own wine. It was bottling under its own name in the 1920s and began exporting. Today the domaine is run by Armand’s son and grandson and exports nearly 80% of the 65,000 bottles a year produced. Grand Crus produced are Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Mazy-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de Roche. Several Premier Crus are also produced. Clive Coates calls the domaine’s wines “vigorous and very classy…Moreover, they are all quite distinctive, each an expression of its own terroir. This is superb winemaking…”

Ruchottes-Chambertin is an 8.1-acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin. Located just north of Mazis-Chambertin, the soil is thin and rocky and the slope is steep. In fact the name Ruchottes comes from “rochers,” or rocks. The principal proprietors are Armand Rousseau, 2.5 acres; Mugneret-Gibourg, 1.6 acres; and Frederic Esmonin, 1.45 acres. Fewer than 1,000 cases of wine are produced annually from this vineyard.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.