Wine Advisor
Taupenot Merme, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Full, dark red but without the ruby tones of the Corton. Deeper-pitched but energetic on the nose, offering aromas of dark plum, raspberry, smoke and underbrush. Then surprisingly opulent and sweet on the palate, with very ripe red fruit and spice flavors complicated by an earthy element. This slightly medicinal wine doesn't show quite the harmonious acidity or refinement I found a year ago, and its dusty, drought-year tannins will require patience.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright medium red. Black cherry and a hint of licorice on the nose. Dry and suave but with a lovely impression of sweetness to its rich, layered flavors of dark raspberry, violet and rose petal. With its nicely integrated acidity and noble tannins, this wine finishes with considerable class.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru has an expressive bouquet with redcurrant, raspberry coulis, a touch of honey and a hint of Seville orange marmalade. It opens nicely in the glass, though does not slip into fifth gear at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, cohesive in the mouth and quite saline and spicy. There is generosity here, a trait of Charmes-Chambertin, with the mineral core surfacing right at the finish as it fans out. This is an impressive follow-up to the superb 2014 and it should give 20+ years of pleasure.
About the Producer
Romain Taupenot is the ninth generation to run this family domaine in Morey-Saint-Denis. While records show his ancestors practiced viticulture as far back as the 17th century, the domaine as we know it today truly came to be after the marriage of Romain’s parents, Denise Merme and Jean Taupenot, in 1963. The domaine’s diverse vineyard sites across both the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune can be traced back to this union of holdings from the Taupenot family, based in Saint-Romain, with those belonging to the Mermes, from Morey-Saint-Denis. With 9 hectares in the Côte de Nuits and another 4.5 hectares in the Côte de Beaune, Romain and Virginie now produce nineteen different wines across seventeen appellations. A significant portion of their holdings are in premier cru and grand cru appellations, and all of their premiers crus are enviably placed. Old vines represent a significant proportion of the domaine’s holdings, with new plantings created from sélection massale cuttings of their best vines. Having farmed organically since 2001, the Taupenots seek to respect the character of each climat to yield wines of purity and grace that are faithful to their appellation of origin. Romain jokingly refers to himself as a “lazy winemaker,” prioritizing work in the vineyard in order to minimize the need for intervention in the cellar. Their hand-harvested grapes are de-stemmed and undergo a cold soak before fermentation with wild yeast, a method pioneered by the late, great Henri Jayer. Cellar operations like pigeages and remontages are gentle and performed with the goal of expressing the nuances of each site. Accordingly, commercial yeasts, bacteria, enzymes and other additives are out of the question, and new oak is used judiciously. With few exceptions, the wines are bottled unfiltered, while sulfur doses are kept to a minimum.
