Domaine Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru AC – 2008

“The 2008 Chambertin is dazzling. It is an explosive wine with tons of inner reserve just waiting to blossom. The wine’s unrestrained power is impossible to miss in the sheer intensity and depth of the fruit. The long, eternal finish is a hint of what is to come for those who have the discipline to bury bottles in a dark corner of the cellar. It is impressive juice. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2048.

This is a beautiful set of wines from Jean-Louis Trapet. The estate farms their vineyards biodynamically. After fermentation the wines are kept in a cold part of the cellar to delay the malolactic fermentations. When I visited in March 2011, the 2010s had not even begun their malos. In 2009 the harvest started on September 18. The wines spent about 18 days on the skins prior to being racked into barrel, where they stayed on their lees with no rackings until they were bottled with no fining or filtration. The amount of whole clusters ranged from 30% to 60%, while the use of new barrels ranged from 30% to 50%. The 2009s were bottled in February 2011, four to six weeks earlier than normal. Trapet is among the growers who believe the 2009s will not shut down in bottle. I was also quite taken with the selection of 2008s I tasted. Burgundy fans will find much to admire in both vintages. The house style tends towards the firm, classic end of the spectrum, so a measure of patience is required, even for the 2009s.”
Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate