Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Domaine Armand Rousseau 2022

The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques has turned out nicely, offering up rich aromas of smoky berries, plums, cedar spice box, orange zest and grilled squab, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and supple palate that's layered and seamless. Out of barrel, Clos Saint-Jacques can be one of the domaine's more muscular wines, but this year's rendition is very charming.

An even crimson colour. The bouquet suggests a classical Clos St-Jacques despite the storm. Superb concentrated fruit on the palate, with the faintest sign of a drier patch at the finish, but the fruit should continue to develop very well to cover it. This is very nearly very fine indeed.

The Clos-Saint-Jacques always marks the start of the three thrilling top wines. Out of barrel a year after vintage, the wine is still a bit characterised by the wood (70% new); however, lovely, rich, ripe blackberry and pomegranate fruits shine through with abundant mineral complexity. The texture is firm and tannic but not unapproachable. This wine is among the greatest produced in the village; ideally, one would wait ten years from the vintage before opening, and it will drink for at least 50 years after that. (Drink between 2035-2100)