Armand Rousseau - Chambertin 'Clos de Bèze' Grand Cru 1985

Armand Rousseau – Chambertin ‘Clos de Bèze’ Grand Cru 1985

1. Introduction

The 1985 Chambertin 'Clos de Bèze' Grand Cru from Domaine Armand Rousseau is another legendary Burgundy from the Rousseau estate and is regarded by connoisseurs as one of the great vintages of the 1980s. Whilst the 1983 vintage has already reached its peak of maturity, the 1985 vintage displays remarkable vibrancy and is described by critics as exceptionally elegant and seductive. Eric Rousseau himself describes the 1985 vintage as very characteristic of that era – with a “wonderful sense of purity” and aromas of intense small red cherries, strawberries, minerality and wilted flowers.

2. The winery: Domaine Armand Rousseau

Domaine Armand Rousseau was foundedin 1902 by Armand Rousseau after he inherited numerous vineyard plots in Gevrey-Chambertin. Following Armand’s tragic death in a car accident in 1959, his son Charles Rousseau took over the management and expanded the estate’s exports to Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and, in the 1970s, to Asia as well. In 1982 , Eric Rousseau, Charles’s son, joined the team and introduced modern techniques such as green harvesting and leaf management – whilst maintaining traditional winemaking methods with minimal intervention. To this day, the domaine’s wines are recognisable by their distinctive style: elegant, pure and of great finesse.

3. The vineyard: Chambertin Clos de Bèze

The Clos de Bèze is one of the most prestigious Grand Cru sites in Gevrey-Chambertin. The Domaine owns two plots within the Clos; the larger is situated in the upper part of the appellation, where the soil is stony and chalky. The wines from the Clos de Bèze are often described as somewhat more refined and delicate than the neighbouring Chambertin, with which they are frequently compared. The aromas are complex, with deep colour, a long finish and great finesse, featuring notes of red berries and oriental spices.

4. Tasting notes

The reviews of the 1985 Clos de Bèze are consistently outstanding – with top scores of up to 97 points from Jasper Morris MW.

4.1. Burghound / Allen Meadows (94 points, November 2014)

"A wonderfully spicy and soaring, very expressive, even kaleidoscopic nose of spicy, pure and very Gevrey aromas that have now mostly, if not completely, developed into secondary notes, leads to sweet, medium-plus-bodied flavours that are not particularly big or powerful, but there is so much velvety and luscious complexity that this is utterly seductive. Whilst there is still a touch of tannin on the wonderfully long finish, this is now, for all intents and purposes, fully developed."

Burghound recommends drinkingthe wine now and over the next 25 years.

4.2. Burghound (93 points, Q4 2015)

"...a soaring and very expressive nose of kaleidoscopic breadth, displaying spicy, earthy and sous-bois-infused aromas...medium-bodied and utterly delicious flavours..."

4.3. Wine Advocate / Neal Martin (92 points, April 2015)

"Here is a curious one. Eric Rousseau himself served the 1985 Chambertin Clos de Bèze from a magnum and a bottle. Theoretically, the former should have been the better, but the general consensus was that the bottle was the one to go for. It has a wonderful sense of purity on the nose: intense small red cherries, wild strawberry, mineral and wilted flowers, all beautifully defined and very ‘85’...”

4.4. Jasper Morris MW (97 points, November 2016)

Jasper Morris of InsideBurgundy.com awarded the wine 97 points – one of the highest scores for this vintage.

4.5. Further tasting notes

• Oaks.com.sg: “The best examples offer a soaring and very expressive nose of kaleidoscopic breadth, displaying spicy, earthy and sous-bois-infused aromas. The medium-bodied and utterly delicious flavours are not particularly big or powerful, as the tannins are now fully integrated, but there is such velvety texture and beguiling complexity that this is utterly seductive.”

• Burgundy-Report: "Medium colour. A wild, yet understated nose at first... A wild mix of brambly black fruit and subtle toasted oak on the nose, gradually becoming more high-toned with a hazelnut-coffee edge. The attack is smooth..."

4.6. Summary of aromas

• Nose: Spicy, ethereal, expressive, kaleidoscopic; ripe Gevrey aromas, earth, forest floor (sous bois), red cherries, wild strawberries, minerality, wilted flowers

• Palate: Medium-bodied, sweet, velvety, seductive complexity; not particularly powerful, but with enormous elegance and finesse

• Finish: Wonderfully long, with a hint of tannins that are still present but have largely dissolved

5. Reviews at a glance

6. Drinking window and maturity

The 1985 Clos de Bèze displays remarkable youthfulness and freshness – for a wine that is already over 40 years old. Burghound noted in 2014 that the tannins have largely dissolved, yet the wine still possessesa wonderfully long finish. The recommended drinking window extends from 2014 to 2039 – meaning there are still around 15 years left from 2026. The ideal serving temperature is 15–16 °C.

However, bottle variation is an important factor: as with the 1983 vintage, there are differences between individual bottles – ranging from ‘sensational’ to ‘tired and slightly soupy’. The provenance is therefore crucial to the drinking experience.

7. Price and market availability

The 1985 Clos de Bèze from Armand Rousseau is one of the most expensive Burgundies and is sold almost exclusively at auctions or through exclusive specialist retailers:

The enormous price range can be explained by differences in condition (level of wine, labels, corks), provenance and storage history, as well as by bottle size (magnum bottles are generally more expensive). Jasper Morris’s high rating (97 points) has further boosted the market price.

8. Comparison: 1983 vs. 1985

The 1985 vintage is regarded by many connoisseurs as the better vintage – it displays greater freshness, purity and a longer drinking window. Jasper Morris’s rating of 97 points underlines this assessment.

9. Conclusion

The 1985 Chambertin ‘Clos de Bèze’ Grand Cru from Armand Rousseau is an outstanding Burgundy which, almost four decades after its production, is still in its prime. With ratings ranging from 94 (Burghound) to 97 (Jasper Morris) , it ranks among the domaine’s highest-rated wines. The tasting notes describe a wine of exceptional elegance: spicy, ethereal, with a kaleidoscopic nose, a velvety texture and a wonderfully long finish.

Unlike the 1983 vintage, which has already reached its peak and is gradually declining, the 1985 vintage still shows considerable ageing potential – Burghound recommends drinking it by 2039. For collectors and lovers of great Burgundies, this wine remains a coveted item which, if stored correctly, can continue to offer an exceptional tasting experience for many years to come. The high prices (from around $2,250 for individual bottles) reflect the rarity and outstanding quality of this vintage.