Arnaud Mortet Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2023

Arnaud Mortet Charmes-Chambertin comes from 0.2 hectares of very old vines on red, pebbly soil close to Griotte-Chambertin.

Charmes-Chambertin lies below Chambertin on the eastern side of the road, and although the Grand Cru covers thirty hectares if the adjoining Mazoyères is counted, its upper reaches next to Griotte and Chapelle are the best of it. Arnaud Mortet’s parcel is in that sector, on red soil scattered with pebbles and carrying a high proportion of active chalk, which shows in the lift and spice of the wine. Vinification follows the pattern used for the estate’s Mazoyères, with slightly less new oak. There was a good deal of millerandage in the vineyard, producing many very small berries, and Arnaud and his team hand-destemmed over half the crop. The wine is typically more red-fruited and spicier than the Mazoyères, keeping the opulence and sweet, floral character the vineyard is known for.

Approachable at six or seven years and good for twenty. Serve at 16-18°C with roast duck, game or a mature washed-rind cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Red Wine
Style: Full-bodied, Round, Perfumed
Grape Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tastes Like: Comparable to a fine Pinot Noir, but deeper and more savoury than a fruit-driven New World example
Alcohol Percentage: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru AOC
Region: Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Terroir: Deeper clay-rich soils on the lower slope south of Chambertin
Aging: Raised in barrel with restrained use of new oak
Serving Temperature: 16℃ – Decant before serving

Arnaud Mortet works in Gevrey-Chambertin, the largest and most celebrated red wine commune of the Côte de Nuits, farming the family vineyards his father established a reputation with. The wines are built on low yields, meticulous work in the vineyard and a restrained hand in the cellar.

Charmes-Chambertin lies on the lower slope south of Chambertin, across the road that runs through the commune. Its deeper, more clay-rich soils give a rounder and more openly charming style than the sterner grands crus above it, and the wines tend to be approachable earlier while still holding a decade or more. It is the largest grand cru of Gevrey-Chambertin, and neighbouring Mazoyères may also be sold under its name.

Game: Perfect with hare, venison, wild boar or roast grouse
Meat: Excellent with beef fillet, braised oxtail or rack of lamb
Truffle: Pairs beautifully with truffle dishes or a truffled celeriac purée
Cheese: Ideal with Ami du Chambertin and long-aged hard cheeses

Ami du Chambertin: The washed rind of Gevrey itself, made expressly for these wines
Langres: Pungent and washed rind, matching the wine’s power
Comté Extra-Vieux: Long-aged and crystalline, softening the wine’s tannin
Époisses: Rich and intense, a Burgundian pairing for a Burgundian red

Lièvre à la Royale (Braised Hare in Red Wine)

Ingredients (Serves 6):

• 1 hare, jointed, with liver reserved
• 750ml red Burgundy
• 200g pork belly, diced
• 100g chicken livers
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 French shallots, peeled
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 500ml veal or game stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 4 tbsp duck fat or butter
• Salt and cracked black pepper
• Celeriac purée, to serve

Instructions:

1. Marinate the hare overnight in the red wine with the bay and thyme.
2. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade, and dry the pieces thoroughly.
3. Melt the duck fat in a heavy casserole and brown the hare deeply on all sides. Remove and set aside.
4. Add the pork belly, whole garlic cloves and whole shallots, cooking until golden and softened.
5. Pour in the brandy and let it cook off, then add the reserved marinade and reduce by a third.
6. Return the hare, add the stock, cover and cook in a low oven at 140℃ for three hours until the meat falls from the bone.
7. Lift out the hare and keep it warm. Blend the livers into the sauce off the heat to thicken and enrich it, then strain and check the seasoning.
8. Return the meat to the sauce and serve with celeriac purée.

The grandest game dish in French cooking, and one of the few that can meet a grand cru Gevrey on level terms. The wine’s depth, tannin and length carry a sauce this rich, while its acidity and dark fruit cut through the liver and duck fat rather than being buried by them.