2022, Maison Benjamin Leroux, CHARMES-CHAMBERTIN, Grand CruCharmes is a new bottling for Leroux; he formerly purchased Mazoyres, which was sometimes labelled as Charmes, but now he has a parcel of Aux Charmes and the fruit from Mazoyres. The new parcel this year has produced a wine with sweet black cherry fruit and notes of rose petals and liquorice. It is silkier and more supple than the Mazoyres, which is more structured. It was racked fairly early but is going back into barrel for a second winter before

yet intense

lifted acidity and exemplary balance

Petit Verdot

A very fine Grand Cru

in not extracting any rough tannins

The blend this year is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot

touches of graphite and pressed flowers

Broad and concentrated

Owner Bernard Magrez has made serious investments here since the late 1990s and recent vintages have been outstanding thanks to extremely low yields

It is a wine of linear intensity rather than size

Currants and cedar with sandalwood and peaches

but this has an elegance to it that almost makes it more of a St-Julien