2015 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Duband started harvesting on September 6, with grape sugars averaging 12.5%, then carried out light chaptalization to extend his fermentations for a couple days. Vinification with whole clusters (Duband used a higher percentage of whole clusters than usual in 2015) similarly results in longer fermentations, which he views as an advantage since he does not do a pre-fermentation cold soak and does not like post-fermentation maceration either. Duband told me he tastes his fermenting wines every morning to decide between pigeage and remontage. His fermentation temperatures mount to 30 or 32 degrees C. and he then maintains the temperature at 28 degrees to finish the sugars. Duband described 2015 as “a second 2005 for me," which he made clear was high praise. But he added that the 2005s are more austere, as he was not vinifying with whole clusters then.

Please note that Duband's wines are also sold under the label of his business partner, François Feuillet. To the best of my knowledge, the two simply divide up the production of each cuvée.