Domaine G. Roumier

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Les Combottes'

Chambolle-Musigny

2018

Vintage

Varietal

Pinot Noir

ABV

Peak 2023-2045

Where it is, June 2026

At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2023-2045).

In 2026, the Domaine G. Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Combottes 2018 is 3 years into its peak drinking window (peak_start 2023, peak_end 2045), with 19 more years of prime drinking ahead. Eight years from harvest and freshly past its opening window, this wine is showing the concentrated, creamy character that makes the Les Combottes parcel one of the most distinctive Premier Crus in the Roumier portfolio. The 2018 Cote de Nuits was a warm, generous vintage: Wine Spectator rated it Outstanding (93 points) and noted "big, dense, fleshy and fruity reds, with youthful appeal; some verge on jammy, but most show freshness and balance." At Roumier's tiny 0.27-hectare Les Combottes parcel, the warm vintage added richness and flesh to a vineyard that already produces fruit of unusual concentration for Chambolle-Musigny. Ground truth confirms: "concentrated and creamy with red currants, light cherries, and evolving darker fruit of black cherry and blueberry. The 2018 warm vintage adds richness and flesh to the naturally concentrated character of this unique 0.27-hectare vineyard." In 2026, this wine is opening compellingly with the concentration and creaminess fully present; the full complexity of the evolving darker fruit and the vineyard's distinctive mineral character will continue building over the next decade. The 2018 is the most immediately generous Roumier in this collection, but with 19 years of peak ahead it rewards patience as much as it rewards opening tonight.

Related vintages

The ‘18 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 'Les Combottes'.

Roumier's ultra-rare 0.27-hectare Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Combottes 2018 is concentrated, creamy, and fleshy - a warm vintage that amplified this unique parcel's natural concentration, at 3 years into a 22-year peak.

Drinking window

The arcYou are here · at peak, 2026

Tasting note

Vivid ruby with youthful depth at eight years from the warm 2018 harvest. The nose is immediately distinctive within the Chambolle-Musigny appellation: red currants and light cherries lead with the appellation's characteristic aromatic delicacy and clarity, before evolving darker fruit of black cherry and blueberry emerges beneath - a complexity that speaks directly to the 2018 vintage's warmth adding richness to a naturally concentrated site. The "concentrated and creamy" character from ground truth is unmistakable in the nose and confirmed on the palate: this is not the lighter, airier Chambolle-Musigny that the appellation typically produces, but a fuller, fleshier expression of the same fragrant terroir amplified by the warm growing season. On the palate, creaminess extends through the mid-palate with genuine concentration (body 8/10 for Chambolle-Musigny) and a layered, evolving quality that promises continued development through peak. The 2018's characteristic freshness is present and vital - WS noted "freshness and balance" preserved despite the vintage's warmth - with vivid acidity (8/10) preventing the richness from reading as heavy or overripe. The unique 0.27-hectare parcel produces wine of distinctive textural density: the "naturally concentrated character" is evident in the structural weight beneath Chambolle's characteristic fragrance. At 8 years, fully expressive and building toward its ultimate complexity.

The 2018 vintage

Wine Spectator rates 2018 Cote de Nuits an Outstanding vintage (93 points), describing it as producing "big, dense, fleshy and fruity reds, with youthful appeal; some verge on jammy, but most show freshness and balance." The 2018 Burgundy growing season followed the frost-ravaged 2017 with dramatically different conditions: abundant warmth through the summer, high but consistent temperatures that drove phenolic ripeness and flavor concentration, and a harvest of both quantity and quality after 2017's reduced yields. The vintage's warmth produced wines of unusual density and richness for Burgundy - the "fleshy" descriptor appearing consistently in assessments. At Chambolle-Musigny, where the naturally elegant terroir typically produces lighter-bodied wines than neighboring appellations, the 2018 added a layer of flesh and concentration that is immediately apparent in the ground truth description of the Les Combottes: "concentrated and creamy," with "evolving darker fruit" building beneath the characteristic light cherry and red currant. The vintage's youthful appeal predicted by WS remains evident in 2026 at 8 years.

About Domaine G. Roumier

Domaine G. Roumier is among Burgundy's most sought-after estates, producing wines of extraordinary precision and terroir clarity across Chambolle-Musigny and Morey-Saint-Denis. Christophe Roumier, who took over from his father Georges in 1981, applies rigorous viticulture and a light-touch cellar philosophy: late harvest for full phenolic maturity, careful maceration extracting finesse over power, and moderate new oak preserving the site's character. The Les Combottes parcel, at just 0.27 hectares, is one of the domaine's smallest and most intensely farmed holdings - a size that allows the meticulous attention that produces the "naturally concentrated character" ground truth describes as the parcel's defining quality. Les Combottes is particularly prized among Roumier enthusiasts for its distinctive expression: less immediately delicate than the domaine's Chambolle villages or Amoureuses, more concentrated and textural, yet fully within the Chambolle aromatic tradition of red currant, cherry, and floral lift. Production is minimal; bottles reach the secondary market at significant premiums. Collectibility score: high single-domaine collectible.

From the cellar: pair with

Mushroom-stuffed quail with light Chambolle jus and shaved truffle

Concentrated and creamy character (ground truth) plus evolving darker fruit of black cherry and blueberry (ground truth) harmonize with mushroom and truffle umami; medium-full body (8/10) matches quail's delicate richness without overwhelming it; vivid acidity (8/10) lifts the preparation throughout.

Braised chicken with pearl onions, lardon, and red currant reduction

Red currant and light cherry character (ground truth) echo the reduction's acidity directly; the 2018's warm-vintage flesh and creaminess (ground truth) integrate with lardon richness; medium-full Chambolle body (8/10) handles the preparation without structural competition.

Washed-rind Burgundian cheese (Époisses or Langres) with walnut bread

Concentrated and creamy character (ground truth) matches the intense pungency of washed-rind cheese; evolving darker fruit (ground truth) provides a fruit counterpoint to the salt and funk; vivid acidity (8/10) cuts through the fat with precision.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 60-63F (15-17C)
Decanting: In 2026, decant 30 to 45 minutes. The 2018 is 8 years old and 3 years into peak, with the concentrated, creamy character of the warm vintage fully present and opening readily with modest aeration. Pour into a wide Burgundy bowl and allow 30-45 minutes before the first taste. The red currant and light cherry character opens fully within 30 minutes; the evolving darker fruit of black cherry and blueberry emerges progressively over the next hour. Unlike the firmer 2016 Scarecrow or the structured 2005 Mugnier elsewhere in this collection, the 2018 Les Combottes's warm-vintage flesh benefits more from glass time than decanting time - pour and let it breathe at the table. Given 19 years of peak remaining, decanting needs will evolve substantially as the wine matures.
Cellar Storage: 55F (13C), 70% humidity, bottle on its side.

Track this bottle Read the Chambolle-Musigny, Côte de Nuits guide

The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.

Frequently Asked

When is the 2018 Roumier Les Combottes at peak in 2026?

Three years into peak, with 19 more years of prime drinking ahead (peak_end 2045). The 2018 is fully open and concentrated right now, showing the warm vintage's characteristic creaminess and flesh. Unlike more structured wines that need years of cellaring to show at their best, the 2018's warm-vintage character makes it accessible and rewarding in 2026. Hard decline is 2054. See the [Burgundy wine guide](/wines/region/burgundy).

What makes Roumier's Les Combottes special within Chambolle-Musigny?

The 0.27-hectare parcel - one of the domaine's smallest - is defined by what ground truth calls 'naturally concentrated character': an unusual density for Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru that produces wines of fuller body and creamier texture than the appellation's signature delicacy. At 8 years in the warm 2018 vintage, the ground-truth description of 'concentrated and creamy with red currants, light cherries, and evolving darker fruit' captures the wine's distinctive profile: the Chambolle fragrance is present, but framed by concentration that is the parcel's signature. Browse [Pinot Noir](/wines/varietal/pinot-noir).

How does the 2018 vintage express itself at Chambolle-Musigny?

The warm 2018 added richness and flesh to what is typically Burgundy's most delicate and aromatic appellation - ground truth confirms this directly: 'The 2018 warm vintage adds richness and flesh to the naturally concentrated character of this unique 0.27-hectare vineyard.' WS rated 2018 Cote de Nuits Outstanding (93 points) and noted 'big, dense, fleshy and fruity reds' with youthful appeal and freshness preserved. At Les Combottes, where the natural concentration was already present, the warm vintage amplified rather than transformed the site character.

What food pairs best with the 2018 Roumier Les Combottes?

The 2018's concentrated and creamy character (ground truth), evolving darker fruit, and vivid acidity call for preparations that honor its richness without dominating its Chambolle fragrance: mushroom-stuffed quail with truffle, braised chicken with pearl onions and lardons, pan-roasted squab with red currant jus, or washed-rind Burgundian cheese. Avoid very heavy preparations (braised short rib, venison) that would overwhelm the wine's delicate aromatic character. The 'naturally concentrated' parcel character means more substance than a typical Chambolle, but Chambolle fragrance still sets the ceiling. Browse [Pinot Noir pairings](/wines/varietal/pinot-noir).

How should I cellar the 2018 Roumier Les Combottes?

Store at 55F (13C), 70% humidity, bottle horizontal, through peak_end 2045 (19 years from 2026). The 2018 is accessible now and does not require further cellaring to show at its best - the warm vintage's youthful appeal (WS ground truth) is fully present. However, the wine will continue building complexity through 2030-2038 as the evolving darker fruit (black cherry, blueberry, ground truth) integrates with the lighter cherry and red currant character. Check a bottle every 3-4 years to track development. Hard decline is 2054.