Wine Advisor
Domaine Dujac, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 1996
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani
This medium-to-dark ruby-colored wine offers spicy red fruit aromatics and a pure, sexy, plump, red and black cherry-packed personality. Medium-to-full-bodied and soft, its long finish reveals layered fruits intermingled with smoky and toasty oak notes. Projected maturity: 1999-2004. My visit to the Domaine Dujac was perplexing. Jacques Seysses, the estate's owner and director, informed me that the 1996 vintage was defined by its low acidity. This statement was shocking to hear as I had already been tasting the vintage's wines for a few weeks (I had started at the southern extremity of the Cote d'Or and was working my way north) and everybody I had visited had expressed the contrary. Upon tasting Dujac's wines I understood his position. While 1996 reds at virtually every estate of the Cote are packed with crisp, juicy, and lively berry fruit, Dujac's are jammy, supple, and sultry - more reminiscent of 1985s or 1990s than 1996s. The hundreds of 1996s I tasted indicate that the Seysses are wrong in their assessment of the vintage as a whole, but simply reflects the character of their estate's wines. Seysses believes, and I concur, that his 1995s are more concentrated and structured - and will therefore require more cellaring - than his 1996s. The estate's yields were high in 1996 (almost fifty percent higher than in 1995), ranging from 48 hectoliters/hectare in the village appellations to 42 h/h for the grand crus, yet sugar levels were slightly higher than in 1995. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661.
About the Producer
Domaine Dujac is managed by the Seysses family. It was founded in 1967 by Jacque Seyesses. At the beginning, Château Dujac had only 4.5 hectares of vineyards in Morey-Saint-Denis. The vineyards were expanded with the purchase of Echezeaux, Bonnes MaresChambertin, Romanee St Vivant and Vosene-Romanee. The estate also owns 1.95 hectares of vineyards in the Clos de la Roche, where the vines are on average 45 to 50 years old. The estate also has 1.45 hectares of vineyards in Clos Saint-Denis, with vines of an average age of 45 to 50 years. In 2005, Château Dujac, together with Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet, acquired Domaine Charles Thomas, acquiring Charles Thomas' shares in the vineyards of Chambertin, Vosne- Romanee and other vineyards. However, the estate sold some of its vineyards after the purchase in order to finance the purchase. However, this acquisition allowed the estate to expand to around 15.5 hectares. Under Jacques' leadership, Château Dujac has developed very well. The grapes were pressed whole and the must was fermented in new oak barrels, and in 1999, when Jacques handed over the running of the estate to his son, the way the estate was made changed dramatically: the grapes were sometimes destemmed and the barrels used for fermentation were probably only 25% new oak. However, the estate's Grand Cru wines are still matured in new oak barrels, while the Grand Cru wines are matured in 60% to 80% new oak barrels. Bottling usually takes place in February or March of the following year. The estate produces around 4,650 bottles/hectare of wine.
