Visit to Château de Charodon – tasting the 2019s

New? Something new? In my book, Château de Charodon with Louis Vallet is a new name on the Burgundy scene, although Vallet has long worked at different estates here – most recently at Domaine Pierre Bourée, his family’s old 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, other vineyards are in focus (although a beautiful Charmes-Chambertin from very old family vines graces the 2019 line-up).

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 Vallet’s development as a vigneron.

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

Let’s taste them!

Château de Charodon Gevrey-Chambertin 2019

This village Gevrey comes from two plots: Les Seuvrees, below the road bordering Morey; and Les Chéseaux, from the area below Cazetiers. It’s fruity and lively, with medium density for this level, and offers a lot of pleasure and hedonistic joy – the 2019s are really singing. A substantial wine – with sulphur around 28 mg/L – bottled this past March. It can be enjoyed early, but will keep ten years easily.

(Drink from 2024) – Very Good – (88-89p) – Tasted 07/06/2021

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Château de Charodon Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jeunes Roys 2019

This single-vineyard village shows significantly more depth and complexity. With lovely notes of peony and rose, it is quite floral, spicy, and delicate, coming from the Brochon side of Gevrey. Intense, with around 15% whole-cluster millerandage grapes, there are delightful notes of pomegranate as well. A beautiful village, with quite some weight.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Good – (89-90p) – Tasted 07/06/2021 –

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Château de Charodon Chambolle-Musigny 2019

The Chambolle is singing beautifully, although it’s slightly on the riper, more reductive side. Delicate fruit – millerandage and pomegranate – hovers over a bass note of raspberries; delicious fruit, with good refinement.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Good – (88-89p) – Tasted 07/06/2021

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Château de Charodon Vougeot Les Petits Vougeots 2019

A rare bird from the village part of Les Petits Vougeots, this is airy, accommodating, and really showing well. While not a wine for 20 years of cellaring, for now it’s expressive, with delicate red fruits and lovely liveliness. Joyfully expressive.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (89-90p) – Tasted 07/06/2021 –

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Château de Charodon Vosne-Romanée

From Les Chalandins, below Maiziéres, this is a rich, perfumed Vosne village with elegant, perfumed notes of lilac, peony, rose and violets. It has lovely, vivid, and lively fruit – quite delicious.

(Drink from 2032) – Very Good – (90-91p) – Tasted 07/06/2021 –

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