2011 Domaine Arlaud Charmes-Chambertin

Domaine Arlaud Pere et Fils is in Morey-St.-Denis, Burgundy. The family-owned domaine now is run by Cyprien Arlaud with help from his younger brother. Domaine Arlaud owns or leases 37 acres which include Grand Cru vineyards in Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis and Bonnes-Mares. There are also Premier Cru parcels in Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny. Burgundy writers are consistently impressed with the domain’s wines. Clive Coates has written that “I find the Arlaud wines very pure and fragrant. This is a very good address.” Many of the wines are made in small quantities of fewer than 100 cases.

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.