When Denis turned 16, his father decided that he would stay in Belgium and traded his pedigree in the wine industry for a career in the chemical industry…..so Denis was sent to the wine school in Beaune in 1979. With support and guidance from his grandmother, he slowly started the building and expansion of the domaine (which already began well with some prestigious Charmes Chambertin planted in the 1920s by his great aunt). His first vintage was 1983. The Charmes Chambertin comes from 2 parcels of very old vines totalling 0.433 hectares, located at the top of the hill between Morey and Gevrey, with very shallow top soil (around 30 cm) but the age of the vines and the deep root systems are very important to ride out extreme conditions. Normally he produces around 8 barrels of Charmes every year, but only 3 barrels were produced in 2012! Ouch!!!
I took some notes from Richard to complete the following as I only tasted a few of them….
1988: A beautiful mature bouquet of prune, coffee and mushroom. Utterly harmonious, a seamless assembly of silky texture, with just the right amount of freshness keeping alive the palate, layers of complexity on the palate, leading to a long long finish. If this were music, this would be a Brahms symphony……… Drink now and over next 8 – 10 years. One of my top 3 favourites in the flight. (Market price around GBP 400 a bottle)
1989: Unfortunately corked – Richard and I will try one of the other 2 bottles from the same batch that we recently bought in HK.
1990: Bouquet a little funky for me..….but silky mouthfeel and fine structure. Richard’s note says: “sweet mature fruit, good energy, slightly less dense than 1999, but some similarity. Perfect now.”
1992: Despite a large crop vintage and a lesser reputation, this turned out to have aged rather well. Coffee, mushroom, fig with a lovely perfume of ripe fruit. Everything nicely proportioned in a lithe frame, well balanced and finishes long. Very charming and drinking perfectly now. This really was a nice surprise. Don’t miss it if you can find a bottle! Drink now….and over next 4-5 years?
1993: Very expressive of the vintage characteristics, with the consistent Bachelet style. I found this a little angular and stiff at the moment. Time should help the sinewy and still astringent tannin soften, with sufficient fruit to last through this evolution. (Richard’s note says: “meaty, savoury nose, fruit and acidity coming together nicely, complex and long flavours. A great 1993!)
1995: A touch closed on the nose, some 1995 firmness/acidity but good fruit. A good effort for 1995. (Richard)
1996: Out of condition bottle.
1997: A wine that is drinking at peak now…….quite gamey, farmyard and tertiary, but still retaining a good dollop of plum and prune fruitiness. Structure started to loosen a little. Recommend drinking now. (Market price around GBP 160 a bottle)
1998: Ripe red fruit, slightly gamey nose. Explosive fruit on entry. A great 1998. (Richard)
1999: (First bottle was corked….and Jasper swiftly came to the rescue with a second bottle - thank you!) This was absolutely sensational. From the brilliance of the colour to the way the flavours lingered in the mouth for an incredibly long time! Velvety in texture, with remarkable freshness, overlaying the concentration and intensity of flavours. I loved the poise of this wine, delivering power and class in a most subtle and understated way. Dried red fruit, plum, prune, violet and notes of mushroom. A persistent finish. The most complete wine and an absolute treat to be enjoyed now, with a long way to go! I would drink this over the next 15 – 20 years…….This was another top 3 favourite for me in this flight.
2000: Not quite the same energy or power as the 1999. Quite classy with a good balance, with very ripe black frit, spice and violet notes……almost sweet on entry. Soft and cuddly……quite ready now! Drink now and over next 8 – 10 years.
2001: Less concentration and looser-knit than 2002, but still showed an elegant structure. Slightly funky and earthy on the nose that is quite 01. Remarkable effort.
2002: Lovely 02 nose….wonderfully linear, silky concentrated fruit…long finish. A class act. (Richard)
2003: Well-balanced and elegantly crafted, given the challenges of the vintage. I did not detect any burnt fruit character – only lush and ripe black fruit, just starting to get nicely integrated. Went rather well with Russell’s sausage and lentil casserole.
2004: A little vegetal….but a very good effort for the vintage. I rather liked it….the vegetal edge added something different to the wine…..without detracting from the perceived elegance and intensity. Fine tannin and balancing acidity with layers of good fruit underneath the vegetal notes. This drinks very well now……and could provide quite good ‘value-drinking’? (Market around GBP 80 a bottle)
2005: Still very youthful…ripe red fruit….a bit closed…big, concentrated and powerful. Firm finish. A wine for the very long haul. Try again in 5 years time…..(Richard)
2006: Very 06 wine gum nose, nice round balanced mouthfeel, good lift on finish (Richard)
2007: Made in a more approachable style…..overlaid with Bachelet stylistic elegance. Pure red fruit….doesn’t quite have the same dimensions as 2006 or 2008 but very attractive now. (Market around GBP 130 a bottle)
2008: Neat and suave, with hints of spice amidst the ripe brambly fruit. Very fine juice, expected to have excellent ageing potential. A superb effort.
2009: Richness and concentration are hallmarks here, neatly balanced by a good dose of acidity. Very ripe and succulent blue and black fruit……lush mouthfeel, without any heaviness. Very fine material for long term ageing. (Market around GBP 300 a bottle!)
2010: Still very young…..great precise winemaking here, accompanied by exceptional fruit material. Beautiful ripe red fruit, raspberry and cranberry. Perfectly proportioned. Persistent finish. A wine with tremendous potential. My other top 3 favourite! (Market around GBP 300 a bottle!)
This tasting more or less concluded our brief visit to Bourgogne! All the wines were so consistent with the Bachelet style….all delivering such balance, elegance and fine expression….as Clive Coates put it once: ““The Denis Bachelet style is for wines of intensity, great elegance, and subtlety: feminine in the best sense. They are concentrated, harmonious, pure and understated………”
I took some notes from Richard to complete the following as I only tasted a few of them….
1988: A beautiful mature bouquet of prune, coffee and mushroom. Utterly harmonious, a seamless assembly of silky texture, with just the right amount of freshness keeping alive the palate, layers of complexity on the palate, leading to a long long finish. If this were music, this would be a Brahms symphony……… Drink now and over next 8 – 10 years. One of my top 3 favourites in the flight. (Market price around GBP 400 a bottle)
1989: Unfortunately corked – Richard and I will try one of the other 2 bottles from the same batch that we recently bought in HK.
1990: Bouquet a little funky for me..….but silky mouthfeel and fine structure. Richard’s note says: “sweet mature fruit, good energy, slightly less dense than 1999, but some similarity. Perfect now.”
1992: Despite a large crop vintage and a lesser reputation, this turned out to have aged rather well. Coffee, mushroom, fig with a lovely perfume of ripe fruit. Everything nicely proportioned in a lithe frame, well balanced and finishes long. Very charming and drinking perfectly now. This really was a nice surprise. Don’t miss it if you can find a bottle! Drink now….and over next 4-5 years?
1993: Very expressive of the vintage characteristics, with the consistent Bachelet style. I found this a little angular and stiff at the moment. Time should help the sinewy and still astringent tannin soften, with sufficient fruit to last through this evolution. (Richard’s note says: “meaty, savoury nose, fruit and acidity coming together nicely, complex and long flavours. A great 1993!)
1995: A touch closed on the nose, some 1995 firmness/acidity but good fruit. A good effort for 1995. (Richard)
1996: Out of condition bottle.
1997: A wine that is drinking at peak now…….quite gamey, farmyard and tertiary, but still retaining a good dollop of plum and prune fruitiness. Structure started to loosen a little. Recommend drinking now. (Market price around GBP 160 a bottle)
1998: Ripe red fruit, slightly gamey nose. Explosive fruit on entry. A great 1998. (Richard)
1999: (First bottle was corked….and Jasper swiftly came to the rescue with a second bottle - thank you!) This was absolutely sensational. From the brilliance of the colour to the way the flavours lingered in the mouth for an incredibly long time! Velvety in texture, with remarkable freshness, overlaying the concentration and intensity of flavours. I loved the poise of this wine, delivering power and class in a most subtle and understated way. Dried red fruit, plum, prune, violet and notes of mushroom. A persistent finish. The most complete wine and an absolute treat to be enjoyed now, with a long way to go! I would drink this over the next 15 – 20 years…….This was another top 3 favourite for me in this flight.
2000: Not quite the same energy or power as the 1999. Quite classy with a good balance, with very ripe black frit, spice and violet notes……almost sweet on entry. Soft and cuddly……quite ready now! Drink now and over next 8 – 10 years.
2001: Less concentration and looser-knit than 2002, but still showed an elegant structure. Slightly funky and earthy on the nose that is quite 01. Remarkable effort.
2002: Lovely 02 nose….wonderfully linear, silky concentrated fruit…long finish. A class act. (Richard)
2003: Well-balanced and elegantly crafted, given the challenges of the vintage. I did not detect any burnt fruit character – only lush and ripe black fruit, just starting to get nicely integrated. Went rather well with Russell’s sausage and lentil casserole.
2004: A little vegetal….but a very good effort for the vintage. I rather liked it….the vegetal edge added something different to the wine…..without detracting from the perceived elegance and intensity. Fine tannin and balancing acidity with layers of good fruit underneath the vegetal notes. This drinks very well now……and could provide quite good ‘value-drinking’? (Market around GBP 80 a bottle)
2005: Still very youthful…ripe red fruit….a bit closed…big, concentrated and powerful. Firm finish. A wine for the very long haul. Try again in 5 years time…..(Richard)
2006: Very 06 wine gum nose, nice round balanced mouthfeel, good lift on finish (Richard)
2007: Made in a more approachable style…..overlaid with Bachelet stylistic elegance. Pure red fruit….doesn’t quite have the same dimensions as 2006 or 2008 but very attractive now. (Market around GBP 130 a bottle)
2008: Neat and suave, with hints of spice amidst the ripe brambly fruit. Very fine juice, expected to have excellent ageing potential. A superb effort.
2009: Richness and concentration are hallmarks here, neatly balanced by a good dose of acidity. Very ripe and succulent blue and black fruit……lush mouthfeel, without any heaviness. Very fine material for long term ageing. (Market around GBP 300 a bottle!)
2010: Still very young…..great precise winemaking here, accompanied by exceptional fruit material. Beautiful ripe red fruit, raspberry and cranberry. Perfectly proportioned. Persistent finish. A wine with tremendous potential. My other top 3 favourite! (Market around GBP 300 a bottle!)
This tasting more or less concluded our brief visit to Bourgogne! All the wines were so consistent with the Bachelet style….all delivering such balance, elegance and fine expression….as Clive Coates put it once: ““The Denis Bachelet style is for wines of intensity, great elegance, and subtlety: feminine in the best sense. They are concentrated, harmonious, pure and understated………”
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