Vallet Freres Charmes-Chambertin 1979

This became the follow on bottle to the 59 Latricieres. This is the wine that I managed to identify when tasted blind at Louis Vallet's flat in Gevrey when I went over for the Vendage last year. So there is a special place in my heart for this wine, and tonight it shone!

Very pale colour to it, with a slightly watery rim, browning right through to the core of the wine, giving it a light rustyness. On the nose the scent is divine, soft fragrant fruits with a light touch of licorice and silky smooth aroma of strawberry fruits and something a little bit feral at the edge of the wine. On the palate the wine quite literally charms you with its simple elegance - the soft red fruit flavours having a hint of light exotic spice and perhaps a hint of anise. Over the space of an hour the wine seemed to grow in the glass, with the anise taking less of a presence and the fruit taking on an extra level of ripeness.



Mr B loved it, which was the effect that I was aiming for!