Renowned among enthusiasts for its silky mouthfeel and aromatic finesse, the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes 2021 by Louis Latour sits firmly within the great tradition of Côte de Nuits fine wines. Located on one of the village’s most coveted climats, Les Charmes, this Premier Cru offers a clear reading of Pinot Noir, between gourmand intensity and airy elegance. The 2021 vintage plays the purity card, revealing precise fruit and a filigreed structure carried by tactile energy. A restrained élevage preserves fruit brightness, marrying exceptional terroir with historic know-how. Praised by international critics, it carries notable scores including 94/100 Bettane+Desseauve and 93/100 Wine Spectator, attestations to its exemplary showing at table and in cellar. Each sip evokes a haute couture atelier—precision, elegance and depth without ostentation.

Blend and winemaking

Made exclusively from Pinot Noir grown on the typical clay-limestone soils of Chambolle, this Premier Cru comes from vines of around 35 years old whose controlled yield, about 35 hl/ha, encourages concentration and aromatic clarity. Hand-harvesting ensures a strict selection of grapes. Vinification follows a traditional open-tank fermentation, promoting gentle infusion and balanced extraction. A complete malolactic fermentation brings a rounder texture and overall harmony. Ageing for 10 to 12 months in French oak barrels from the tonnellerie Louis Latour, with around 40% new oak, provides structure and complexity without overwhelming the expression of the cru. This balance between precise fruit and subtle oak polish yields a wine with a slim, vibrant profile whose backbone remains the natural freshness of the terroir.

Tasting notes

• Appearance: Deep, luminous ruby edged with translucent highlights that promise pure material and lively energy.
• Nose: Fresh cherry and blackcurrant aromas lifted by clove, subtle toasty notes and a veil of cocoa, all carried by a discreet, irresistible floral thread.
• Palate: A caressing entry, silky tannins, and nuanced breadth tempered by a sapid freshness. The core blends juicy fruit with delicate spice, stretching to a persistent saline finish that signs the mineral imprint of the climat.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve at 15 to 16°C in large Burgundy glasses to allow the aromatic range to open up. For a young vintage, gentle aeration—30 minutes in a decanter—reveals fruit brightness and softens the oak influence. Store bottles on their side in a cool, dark cellar. The wine has a cellaring potential of 7 to 10 years, with a particularly harmonious expression expected from 2025 onward, when the tannins will have fully integrated into the wine.

Food pairings

• Aperitif: mushroom puff pastries, mini forest tarts, duck rillettes on toast with truffle.
• Starters: perfect egg with chanterelles, shallot tatin, free-range poultry ballotine with a reduced jus.
• Main courses: duck parmentier with truffles, roast capon with reduced jus, salmi de bécasse, wild boar stew with lingonberries.
• Cheeses: Brillat-Savarin, ash-ripened soft mountain cheese, aged tomme with a bloomy rind.
• Desserts: lightly sweetened thin tart with griottes, dark chocolate dome with cocoa bean and a touch of red fruit.

Occasions

The Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes 2021 is the ideal companion for your chosen moments:

• To celebrate an exceptional dinner where every pairing elevates seasonal cuisine.
• At a themed tasting dedicated to Côte de Nuits climats, to explore Chambolle’s lace-like finesse.
• As a connoisseur’s gift that honours the art of French living.

Specifications

• Name: Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes 2021, Louis Latour
• Appellation: Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru AOC
• Type: Red wine, Fine wines
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape variety: Pinot Noir (100%)
• Aging: 10 to 12 months in French oak barrels, about 40% new
• Terroir: Clay-limestone soils, vines approx. 35 years
• Yield: 35 hl/ha
• Cellaring: 7 to 10 years
• Serving temperature: 15 to 16°C