Chambertin Grand Cru 2021

In his Grand Crus, Jean-Louis Trapet doesn't chase power, but elegance: aromatic depth, fine-grained tannin, terroir transparency. He himself is regarded as "un pur et un doux," pure and gentle, and that is exactly how this Chambertin reads. The guiding principle in the vineyard as in the cellar is the same: accompany, never force.

Domaine Trapet Père et Fils farms 18.5 hectares in Gevrey-Chambertin, including the three Grand Crus Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin and Latricières-Chambertin. The Chambertin comes from just under two hectares, split across three parcels, some with century-old vines. Jean-Louis Trapet, the seventh generation, lives by the family credo "Les hommes passent et la terre reste": people pass, the land remains.

Pinot Noir, farmed biodynamically since 1996 and Demeter-certified since 2009. For the Grand Crus, Trapet ferments 50 to 100 percent whole bunches, keeping new oak to a maximum of 50 percent. The cellar works by gravity, relying on precise groundwork in the vineyard beforehand rather than intervention.

Dry, 13.0% ABV. Dark cherry and forest berries carry the wine, joined by a hint of undergrowth and a floral note. The tannin is fine-grained and woven into a lively acidity, the finish long and structured.

In the 1880s, Arthur Trapet secretly grafted vines onto American rootstock, at a time when this was still forbidden; the method was legalised in 1888. Seven generations later, Jean-Louis Trapet runs the estate, to which the Guide des meilleurs vins de France awards three stars, its highest rating.