2005 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Charmes-Chambertin

Domaine Taupenot-Merme is in Morey-Saint-Denis. The 34-acre estate has parcels in 20 appellations and is today run by Romain Taupenot and his sister Virginie, who are the seventh generation owners of the estate. Taupenot-Merme has Grand Cru parcels in Charmes-Chambertin, Mazoyeres-Chambertin, and Corton. There are numerous Premier Cru parcels and village appellations in the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune. The estate makes both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Clive Coates calls the estate “a very good address.”

Charmes-Chambertin is a 78-acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin that traditionally includes the acreage of nearby Mazoyeres-Chambertin. For nearly 200 years the growers of Mazoyeres have been legally allowed to sell their wines under the more famous name of Charmes-Chambertin, and virtually all of them do. Charmes-Chambertin is the largest of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus, and it generally has an excellent reputation. The slope of the vineyard is gentle and the surface soil poor. But producers including Joseph Roty, Christian Serafin, Domaine Dujac, Faiveley and Joseph Drouhin are acclaimed for their Charmes Chambertin. Principal landholders are Camus, with 14.75 acres; Perrot-Minot, 4 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.5 acres.

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.