Charlopin-Parizot Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2020

Charmes-Chambertin is one of the Grand Cru vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin, sitting on the gentle mid-slope below the village where limestone and marl meet a covering of clay and stones. These plots, once church land divided after the Revolution, give some of the most complete Pinot Noir in the Cote de Nuits: full in fruit yet firmly structured. Philippe Charlopin-Parizot farms biodynamically and works in a ripe, richly extracted style, drawing real density from the old vines. The wine is aged in oak barrel, where slow oxygen exchange over many months builds a layer of woodspice and rounds the tannins while the fruit stays fresh. The colour is deep ruby. The nose is layered, with dark cherry, red berries and rose over earth, leather and a touch of smoke. The palate is powerful and savoury for Pinot Noir, with concentrated red fruit, ripe tannins and a mineral length that marks the Grand Cru site. This is a wine to keep, though it rewards a good decant now. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees in a large Burgundy glass, alongside game, beef or aged cheese.