The ‘18 Vieilles Vignes Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru.

Drinking window

Tasting note

Denis Bachelet is among Gevrey-Chambertin's most distinguished small producers, with a tiny parcel of ancient vines in Charmes-Chambertin that routinely yields some of the grand cru's most expressive and sensual wines. The 2018 vintage from these old vines is genuinely hedonistic: the warmth of the growing season coaxed the ancient vines into an expression of unusual plushness and immediate accessibility that carries the estate's hallmark precision and mineral integrity throughout. The nose is irresistible in its generosity: crushed strawberry and ripe cherry emerge first, followed by dried rose petals, warm baking spice, and a sweet, earthy note that carries the characteristic mineral depth achieved through Bachelet's relentlessly low yields and minimal intervention winemaking. The red fruit quality is pristine and detailed, showing individual berry notes rather than a generic fruit impression. On the palate the wine is supple, round, and generous, its tannins gossamer-fine in a way that belies the age-worthiness demonstrated by older Bachelet vintages. The finish is long, warm, and fragrant, carrying the rose and red fruit forward with a mineral undertow that anchors the experience in the grand cru terroir. An exceptionally beautiful wine for current drinking that will also repay continued cellaring.

The 2018 vintage

The 2018 growing season in Gevrey-Chambertin was one of the warmest in recent memory, producing Pinot Noir of exceptional ripeness and hedonistic appeal. For the ancient vines of Charmes-Chambertin, whose deep root systems provide remarkable resilience against vintage variation, 2018 was a year that coaxed unusual generosity from old wood that typically produces restrained, mineral-focused wines. The resulting wines combine the warmth and accessibility of the vintage with the ancient vines' natural tendency toward mineral precision and aromatic complexity, creating a collection of Charmes that is simultaneously more approachable and more compelling than many cooler vintages.

About Domaine Denis Bachelet

Denis Bachelet is a Gevrey-Chambertin legend, an estate of tiny production and extraordinary quality built around ancient Pinot Noir vines in Charmes-Chambertin. The estate's hallmark is a combination of extremely low yields and minimal winemaking intervention that allows the ancient vines to speak with maximum clarity through the finished wine. Bachelet's wines age magnificently and are among the most sought-after in Gevrey, combining the grand cru terroir's natural power with a sensual, floral expressiveness that distinguishes the estate from its more structured neighbors.

From the cellar: pair with

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