Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France 2022
Not long after purchasing vineyards in the late 1960s and releasing his first wines in the early 1970s Jacques Seysses became an international icon. Jacques respect for the terroir of the Côte d’Or is still on display in his viticultural practices and innovative winemaking methods. Dujac wines are more than just varietally correct – they are intimate travelogues of some of the most celebrated sites on earth. Sons Jeremy and Alec along with Jeremy’s wife, Diana, have been handed the reigns of this famous estate.
Today, the estate is transitioning from one generation to the next. Son Jeremy is heavily involved in winemaking and marketing; Diana Snowden, Jeremy’s wife and a U. C. Davis graduate in enology, has taken over cellar management; and son Alec, is assuming many of his father’s administrative duties. The infusion of new blood has proved a boon, allowing this remarkable estate to maintain its position as one of Burgundy’s most elite producers.
The deeply coloured Charmes boasts an impressively ripe plummy fruit with menthol, earth, and smoke accents. The tannic structure is silky and very fine – less grippy than many – and enough extract ensures that the finish lingers invitingly on the palate. The grapes are from four parcels split between Aux Charmes and Mazoyères; approximately 85% were fermented as whole clusters in 2022, with fewer punch-downs to avoid over-extraction. The result is elegant and very fine. Decanter 96