2007 Michele & Patrice Rion Chambolle Musigny Les Cras

2007 Chambolle Musigny 'Cras' is an intense wine with solid flavours and an excellent structure.

Patrice Rion and his wife Michèle began their own small domaine with just two wines, Bourgogne Rouge Bons Batons and Chambolle Musigny les Cras, and in 1990 while Patrice continued as winemaker at the Domaine Daniel Rion. At Patrice's purpose built small winery in Prémeaux. The vines are trained to grow higher than the Burgundy standard, increasing the canopy without shading the grapes, which gives better ripening and colour.

Grapes for the Chambolle Musigny Les Cras are taken from the upper part of the vineyard which is classified as village Chambolle. Despite the elevation and the very light soil, this produces a relatively dark coloured, intense Chambolle which ages well.

This 2007 vintage bursts with red and black fruit on the palate, which is backed up by a really impressive density of flavour and a certain hillside minerality. It shows an excellent structure, balance and length, and is not that far short of perfection.