Château des Herbeux – Chambertin 'Grand Cru' 1986

Château des Herbeux – Chambertin Grand Cru 1986: A rare gem from the house of Jacques Prieur

The 1986 Chambertin Grand Cru from Château des Herbeux is a wine of rare historical depth – a Grand Cru from one of Burgundy’s most famous vineyards, bearing the hallmark of one of the Côte de Beaune’s most traditional estates and produced in a vintage that long stood in the shadow of the legendary 1985 and 1988 vintages. Very little is recorded in wine literature about the Château des Herbeux estate; however, it is known to be a domaine in Meursault that bottled wines under this name in the 1980s and was later acquired by Domaine Jacques Prieur. One forum participant noted that the labels of the 1986 Chambertin feature the château of Domaine Jacques Prieur in Meursault – a reference to the close connection between the two estates. At auctions, wines from Château des Herbeux still appear today under the name ‘Domaine Jacques Prieur Chambertin Grand Cru Château des Herbeux’.

The vineyard: Chambertin – the king of Burgundy’s Grands Crus

Chambertin is one of Burgundy’s most famous and venerable vineyard sites. Covering just 12.90 hectares, this Grand Cru site is situated in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits and is planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. The name dates back to a winegrower called Bertin, who planted his vines near the Clos de Bèze – over the centuries, ‘Champ de Bertin’ became ‘Chambertin’. The vineyard stretches across the slopes of the Montagne de la Combe Grisard at an altitude of 275 to 300 metres and faces east. The soils consist of Bathonian and Bajocian limestone with marl and gravel inclusions – a terroir that lends Pinot Noir remarkable structure, depth and longevity. Chambertin wines are regarded as the most powerful and long-lived of the Côte de Nuits – they combine richness and elegance with a concentration and tannic structure that are exceptional for Pinot Noir . Wine writer Clive Coates MW once described Chambertin as ‘the most complete of all Burgundian wines’ – a wine that possesses ‘both the power of a Richebourg and the finesse of a Musigny’.

The 1986 vintage: an underrated classic

The 1986 vintage in Burgundy was characterised by a hot, dry summer, which allowed the Pinot Noir grapes to ripen early and fully. The wines of this vintage are characterised by remarkable concentration, firm tannins and a precise acidity profile – qualities that make them wines with great ageing potential. Wine-Searcher describes the 1986 vintage in Burgundy as “largely good despite some difficulties” – a vintage that has often been overshadowed in the public eye by the legendary 1985 and 1988 vintages, yet produced wines of great depth and structure. A forum member on La Passion du Vin remarked on the 1986 Chambertin from Château des Herbeux: ‘I still have some 1986 Chambertins that aren’t terrible’ – a suggestion that bottles from this vintage can vary in quality, which is not unusual for a Burgundy that is almost four decades old.

Tasting notes: A mature Chambertin of rare depth

Tasting notes for the 1986 Chambertin from Château des Herbeux are scarce – a fact that is hardly surprising given the rarity of this bottling. For the 1986 Chambertin Grand Cru from other producers – such as Armand Rousseau – tasters describe strong secondary aromas that “are just beginning to give way to moderate notes of sous-bois, abundant Gevrey earth, undergrowth and smoke, which harmonise perfectly with the round texture”. Another tasting note for a 1986 Chambertin describes notes of plum and blackberry, accompanied by floral and mineral hints, with a full body, elegant structure and a long finish. Idealwine describes the general style of the Chambertin: “In its youth, this cru reveals notes of violets and sweet fruit. As it matures , its bouquet evokes compost and moss, mingled with leather or fur” – a description that also applies to the 1986 vintage from Château des Herbeux.

After more than three decades of bottle ageing, this 1986 Chambertin is likely to be at the peak of its maturity. The colour is probably a brilliant ruby red with brick-red highlights. The nose unfolds the classic aromatic spectrum of a great Chambertin: notes of black cherries, plums and ripe red berries, underpinned by the tertiary aromas characteristic of mature Burgundies – undergrowth, leather, musk and a hint of truffle. On the palate , there is a powerful yet silky-smooth tannin structure, balanced by lively acidity, with an exceptionally long, mineral finish.

The condition of the bottles: historical artefacts

The existence of the 1986 vintage is documented by various auction lots. At Drouot, a bottle of 1988 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Château des Herbeux was offered. At Dorotheum,two bottles of 1986 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Château des Herbeux were auctioned. At Christie’s,six bottles of 1982 Chambertin Château des Herbeux with corroded capsules and soiled labels were offered – an appearance typical of their age. On leboncoin,two bottles of 1986 Chambertin Château des Herbeux were offered, described as being in ‘very good condition’. The fact that wines from Château des Herbeux – including Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet – continue to appear at renowned auction houses to this day is testament to the enduring appreciation of these rare vintages from the 1980s.

A window into a bygone era

For collectors and connoisseurs, the Château des Herbeux Chambertin Grand Cru 1986is a wine of great rarity – a testament to a bygone era of Burgundian viticulture, from one of the most famous Grand Cru sites on the Côte de Nuits, produced in a vintage that was long underrated yet yielded wines of remarkable depth and structure. Anyone who opens such a bottle holds not only a rare Burgundy in their hands, but a piece of Burgundian contemporary history – and a wine that, after more than three decades of ageing in the bottle, has retained remarkable depth, power and elegance.