Chambolle-Musigny, Côte d'Or
Domaine François Bertheau
We have been importing François Bertheau’s wonderfully fruited, perfumed, classic and lacy Chambolles since the 2014 vintage. Over this short time there has been a growing chorus of praise from clients here in Australia. (Not to mention the list of pundits lining up to say great things globally, see below.) François works hard in his 6ha of vines; only Chambolle-Musigny, no other commune. He is determined to have healthy little bunches and he guides the wines through fermentation and ageing with great care and craft.
Bertheau has done a magical job for the 2023 vintage. His wines, across the range, are spectacular, in his pure, bright and pristine, highly aromatic and silky style. I tasted the whole range in March 2025 and came away in awe of his achievements. Cheers, Randall.
“I feel a special affection for this Domaine.”
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy
"The wines from Domaine François Bertheau have given me a lot of hedonistic pleasure over the years. It has been several years since I have visited Domaine Bertheau, and I honestly don’t know why … A mistake, surely, as I really enjoy the wines from Domaine François Bertheau."
Steen Öhman, Winehog
These are classic Chambolles, emphasizing finesse, elegance, high-toned aromatics and silky textures. They typically drink well immediately upon release and remain balanced with aging – their approachability should not be confused with shorter life spans because these wines age beautifully.
Kermit Lynch.
2023 Chambolle-Musigny
"An elegant, spicy and ripe nose combines notes of mostly red currant and cherry with hints of violet and plum. The sleek, delicious and punchy middle weight flavors possess a lovely texture as well as good detail while delivering very good depth and persistence in the context of its level. This is also a wine that could reasonably be enjoyed young or held for 5 to 8 years with success."
89-91 Outstanding - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Yes, outstanding is what I wrote when I tasted it from the big 2700lt foudre (the total production). Pure raspberry coulis and spicy loveliness, I wrote. Silky, mouthfilling and classy. This is from 4 parcels, Creux Baissants, Gueripes, Forcheres and Les Argilleres (adjacent to Musigny) all contiguous and just above the band of 1er Crus, between Musigny Grand Cru and the village of Chabbolle itself, great real estate. - Randall
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
These grapes come from 1.1 hectares split between 4 great 1er Cru plots that are amongst the cream of Chambolle: Groseilles, Baudes, Noirots and Gruenchers. These grapes are all picked on the same day and fermented together, then aged in a 2700L foudre along with the little remainder in new oak pieces (228lt barrels). The 2023 is super pure, intensely aromatically seductive and supple, silky, clean, long and classy.
"A more deeply pitched nose is comprised by notes of both red and dark cherry, anise and more floral elements. The delicious medium-bodied flavors also possess a gorgeous texture with even better depth and persistence. This is also lovely and while more structured than the villages, it's not so backward to disallow being enjoyed young."
91-93 Outstanding - Allen Meadows, Burghound
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes
From 0.66 ha made up of 2 plots, and all aged in 228lt barrels with a small percentage of new, less than 20%. "Here the nose is sufficiently reduced as to offer nothing of interest to report. By contrast, there is excellent punch and freshness on the palate of the slightly more voluminous and more mineral-driven flavors that possess all the intrinsic refinement of a classic Charmes while exhibiting focused power on the rich, firm and youthfully austere finale. Though the first two wines could, in a pinch anyway, be enjoyed young, here the structure is sufficiently firm and prominent that at least a few years of patience are recommended." 91-93 Outstanding - Allen Meadows, Burghound
2023 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
From 2 small plots: one just across the small road from Musigny, this is distinctly different from the Bonnes Mares (see blind comparison opinion with the Bonnes Mares notes below.) It's Grand Cru in all but name.
"An exuberantly spicy nose is ever-so-slightly riper with its blend of dark raspberry and a plethora of floral elements along with a top note of kirsch and a background hint of oak influence. There is outstanding detail to the gorgeously textured medium weight flavors that possess the most minerality in the range, all wrapped in a hugely persistent, balanced and dusty finale. This is seriously classy with the underlying structure to amply repay a decade plus of keeping." 92-95 Outstanding - Allen Meadows, Burghound
2023 Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares
Francois "blinded" us on the Amoureuses (a grand cru in all but classification) and the Bonnes Mares. As expected, it was easy to pick the wines and see the difference, the latter being darker, bigger and slightly more tannic, with more liquorice and earth. The former, by comparison, had more perfume, more raspberry and floral notes and more cranberry crunch and rocky minerality. Both are really exceptional!
"A less floral if no less perfumed nose somewhat grudgingly offers up its array of dark berry, poached plum and violet-suffused aromas. Once again there is very good volume to the bigger-bodied and tautly muscular flavors that possess a sappy texture while displaying equally outstanding length if not quite the same depth as the Amoureuses, at least not yet. Nonetheless, this too is very promising." 92-94 - Allen Meadows, Burghound
