Visit to Château de Charodon – Tasting the Red 2021s

Château de Charodon, under Louis Vallet, is a relatively new name on the Burgundy scene, although Vallet has long worked at different estates here – most recently at Domaine Pierre Bourée, his family domaine.

However, he’s turned the page and started a new negociant business in the buildings of his parental home, the Château de Charodon just outside Beaune in Montagny-les-Beaune.

There is little doubt that Louis Vallet will harvest the fruits of the family vineyards one day. But starting out here, he has other vineyards in focus.

Vinous background

Louis Vallet learned his trade from people like Pascal Marchand, and I see qualities in the Château de Charodon wines influenced by Marchand’s visionary ideas. I also see influence from Bernard Zito, another prominent personality in Louis’ development as a vigneron.

These influences result in wines with generous and pure mid-palate fruit, drinkability, enjoyability, and complexity, without being over-engineered. They keep their simplicity, while revealing palpable potential. These are wines of high hedonistic quality, enjoyable yet controlled due to their relatively high sulphur levels.

Let’s taste them!

Château de Charodon Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2021

The Bourgogne Côte d’Or shows fine liveliness and energy. The nose is bursting with cherries and other red berries. While not a big wine, it has some vin de soif qualities and is a wine not for points, but for pleasure. I would prefer a little less sulphur to set the wine free, but OK: it’s 2021.

(Drink from 2023) – Good – (86-87p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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Château de Charodon Côte de Nuits Villages 2021

The Côte de Nuits Villages is from the Fixin area and is a lively wine with plenty of fresh fruit and depth. To me, this has all the hedonistic qualities one could want from a vintage like 2021. The fruit is lively and takes this quite a notch or two up from the Bourgogne.

(Drink from 2024) – Very Good – (88p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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Château de Charodon Marsannay Clos du Roy 2021

The 2021 vintage can be difficult, and vinification sometimes dances on a knife’s edge. Extraction brings not only intensity and power, but also defines the fruit’s energy. This Marsannay is just not singing at the moment; it lacks vividness and energy.

(Drink from 2027 ) – Good – (86-88p) – Tasted 06/06/2023

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Château de Charodon Fixin La Croix Blanche 2021

The Fixin La Croix Blanche is unfolding better in the glass. A lower-slope Fixin, this does not show the austerity sometimes found in those from the higher elevations. Quite dark and intense, this has real concentration for its level, and a violet spiciness. Am I truly charmed? Not really, but this is a good wine nevertheless.

(Drink from 2027 ) – Very Good – (88p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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Château de Charodon Gevrey-Chambertin 2021

The Gevrey village is from the area below the RD974 going towards Morey. This is a delightful area, producing elegant – although not very complex – wines. Complexity is not always needed, and great wine-making skills can actually be very beneficial (surprise). This wine is lightly vinified for the year, and only one-year-old Cavin barrels were used. It has a delicate Cavin feel; slightly silky, but without the sweeter notes that come from new top-end Cavin barrels. A delightful glass.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (89-90p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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Château de Charodon Vougeot Les Petits Vougeots 2021

A rare bird from the village part of Les Petits Vougeots, this is from a special, almost pink, pinot, and it’s a lively, hedonistic wine. Almost a form of Pinot Rose, this perhaps lacks the oomph of the 2020, which was a vintage that supported the lightness of the grapes better. Power is not all however.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (89p) – Tasted 06/06/2023

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Château de Charodon Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jeunes Roys 2021

This single-vineyard village offers significantly more depth and energy. It has a delightful nose full of pink roses – quite floral and very lively. It comes from the Brochon side of Gevrey, and is one of the top ’21s from Louis Vallet.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Good – (90p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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Château de Charodon Pommard 2021

The Pommard, from the slopes above the village, shows lively fruit. What can I say? This is in fine form, but I would love to see the terroir express itself even more. It is nevertheless quite an elegant wine.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Good – (89p) – Tasted 06/06/2023

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Château de Charodon Vosne-Romanée 2021

The Vosne is from Les Communes, and the 2021 version is a more refined and open wine than the 2020. It’s quite rich, supported by a third new oak. This is lively and offers good drinking for a Vosne. While it has a lovely hedonistic character, give it some years in the cellar.

(Drink from 2032) – Very Good – (90p) – Tasted 06/06/2023 –

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