Chambertin Clos de Beze		1983	A. Rousseau

7/95. Bought in auction Feb-95 for $85 (imported from Chicago for $95 net).
Tonight we took with us a bottle to celebrate the signing of agreement with the contractor for the changes he has to make to our new apartment.
We took the wine to an excellent rural French restaurant near Tel-Aviv. Dinner(for two) consisted of hot goose liver in melons, peaches and blackberries, shrimp & crab soup, confit de canard, cote de veau in thin pastry cooked in wine and Armagnac, two desserts and two different vintage Armagnacs (about $100 including tip).
COLOR: Not very impressive. Dull medium red, some paling towards the rim.
NOSE: Intoxicating fruit, earth, leather and mushrooms. All surrounded by the most beautifully balanced 'Bourgogne nose' overlayed with hints of sweetness, as becoming of a mature (B). This is one of those wines that sniffing it alone would give enough satisfaction to justify its price (well, at least half of it < g >).
TASTE: Fully mature, full bodied yet silky taste. On the palate every promise of the nose is fulfilled. Elegant smoothness combined with firm structure with a touch of dried plums. An incredible pleasure. (We gave a glass to the proprietor and the waitress. They both went WOW!)
LENGTH: Extremely long and complex aftertaste that carry the fruit for a long time.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: A wine balanced to perfection! Plenty of fruit, wood serves as frame or backdrop, never dominating. Very good acid, a wine of substance, yet smooth as silk. Plenty of alcohol and soft tannins, all bring out the sensation of a 'meaty' full bodied wine that was crafted to perfection.
OVERALL: Extraordinary! I cannot think of a better (B). Together with the '83 Roumier's Bonnes Mares this wine is one of the gems of the problematic 1983 vintage. It will surely keep for some years to come. At just a little over half the price of Ponsot's '83 Clos de la Roche, I think I can designate this wine a great value!.
This is the best Clos de Beze I had. It was great from the first moment, but with the rich main courses it became simply divine!
MARK: 19/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.