2019 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru

Denis Bachelet was the only visit rescued from my cancelled last week of tasting. I had to forego my baguette for lunch, but the wines were worth the sacrifice. Covid aside, the pandemic is not the only challenge that Bachelet has faced in recent months. “The summer dryness means that we are 40% down in terms of quantity,” a rueful Bachelet told me as we descended down the precariously steep steps to the barrel cellar. “There have been three consecutive dry seasons and it is beginning to affect the vines. There is just no water. In 2020 it was even less. I started picking on 14 September.” What can I say that I have not written before? From the entry Côte de Nuits-Villages up to the Charmes-Chambertin, all the 2019s bare the hallmarks of Bachelet’s style: pure red fruit aromas, stunning delineation, machine-tooled precision and bewitching grace on their finishes. The only downside is that the shortfall means there is no Les Evocelles this year.