2009 Charmes Chambertin

Medium red. Musky, reticent nose dominated by saline soil tones. Then sweet in the mouth, with stronger red fruit flavors than the nose suggests. Good mid-palate fat is currently cut off by slightly drying, dusty tannins. Offers decent definition but not quite the primary fruit character of the Combottes or Clos de la Roche. (Unfortunately, my sample of the Clos Saint-Denis, though silky and voluminous, was a bit tired and probably not representative of the cuvee .)