Armand Rousseau Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 1990 750ml

Wine Advocate #83 Oct 1992
At the top level, Rousseau consistently produces three profound wines - Gevrey-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques (as good as most producer's grands crus), Chambertin-Clos de Beze, and Chambertin. That being said, I remain perplexed as to why Rousseau's other wines are so surprisingly light and fluid. While good, sometimes very good, they are markedly inferior to his top three wines. Never one to jump on the bandwagon for forward, super-ripe vintages, (Rousseau still believes 1983 is the finest vintage of the eighties), he is unpersuaded by the acclaim bestowed on 1990.

As years go by, Armand Rousseau continues to enlarge his Domain with the purchase of more Grands Crus: Mazy Chambertin in 1937, Mazoyeres Chambertin in 1940, Chambertin in 1943 and 1956.
The Clos Saint Jacques is bought in 1954 in his son Charles's name who joins his father in 1945. In 1959, after Armand Rousseau's death, Charles Rousseau is at the head of a Domain, continue developing rapidly. He then decides to turn principally towards export. He develops the exchanges first with European countries, then to Canada, Australia, New-Zealand, Brazil, etc. and lastly Asia in the 1970's.
In 1982, Eric, his son joined the team after his studies. He starts in the vineyards and introduces new techniques as green harvest, leaf removal and a mechanic work of the soil without insecticides or chemical additions. He orientates the Domaine near a viticulture more biologic and get involve with the vinification. He keeps a traditional way of winemaking with the minimum of manipulations.
The wines from Domaine Armand Rousseau have improve over the years but it has always kept the same spirit as when Armand and Charles were making it. The Rousseau hand is a style of wine very recognizable. The wines are typically Burgundian wines: Fine, Elegant and a honest, truly expression of the vineyards through the Pinot grape and a little piece of the winemaker.

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