1997 Domaine Claude Dugat Charmes-Chambertin

Owned by the Claude Dugat family, this relatively small domain for many years sold its wines to other negociants. But in recent years the Gevrey-Chambertin-based domain started bottling under its own label and it has quickly won acclaim for its Chambertin. With about 15 acres planted to Pinot Noir, the estate produces highly limited quantities of wine, usually about 3,000 to 5,000 bottles. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls the domaine’s wines “modern-styled Burgundies because they can be drunk young, but they age well.”

Charmes-Chambertin is a 78-acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin that traditionally includes the acreage of nearby Mazoyeres-Chambertin. For nearly 200 years the growers of Mazoyeres have been legally allowed to sell their wines under the more famous name of Charmes-Chambertin, and virtually all of them do. Charmes-Chambertin is the largest of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus, and it generally has an excellent reputation. The slope of the vineyard is gentle and the surface soil poor. But producers including Joseph Roty, Christian Serafin, Domaine Dujac, Faiveley and Joseph Drouhin are acclaimed for their Charmes Chambertin. Principal landholders are Camus, with 14.75 acres; Perrot-Minot, 4 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.5 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.