レ・ザムルーズ
シャンボール・ミュジニーの至宝、ミュジニーの直下に位置するレ・ザムルーズは、プルミエ・クリュの格付けながら、この村の個性を象徴する極めて重要な畑です。クロ・ド・ヴージョを見下ろす絶好の展望台のような場所にあり、グラン・クリュに比肩する評価を確立しています。主要な所有者には、計2.19ヘクタールを擁するロベール・グロフィエをはじめ、コント・ジョルジュ・ド・ヴォギュエ、ジョセフ・ドルーアン、ジャック・フレデリック・ミュニュエ、アミオ・セルヴェルらが名を連ねます。純粋な果実味を湛えるそのスタイルは、野性味を帯びるボンヌ・マールとは対照的であり、村の気品を最も純粋に表現する存在として愛されています。
Les Amoureuses — literally "the lovers" — sits immediately downslope from the Grand Cru Musigny, and the romantic name has been attached to this *climat* since at least the medieval period. Chambolle-Musigny has 23 premier crus in total; Les Amoureuses stands apart from the rest of them. How the name arose is not documented, but it suits a vineyard whose wines trade on delicacy rather than force.
Les Amoureuses covers 5.4 ha on the same slope as Musigny — physically continuous with the Grand Cru above. Only Pinot Noir is planted. Standard premier cru parameters apply: 9,000 vines per hectare minimum, a 45 hl/ha yield ceiling, village AOC framework.
The wines sit closer in character to Musigny than to Bonnes-Mares — floral, lifted, and precise, with the aromatic clarity Chambolle prizes above structure. Longevity and sheer weight are somewhat less than in Musigny, yet the stylistic family resemblance is unmistakable. Prices at auction routinely reach Grand Cru levels, reflecting a market consensus that no other premier cru in the village comes close.
Les Amoureuses is divided among several of the most significant Chambolle houses:
- Domaine Robert Groffier Père & Fils (1.12 ha) — the largest single owner; Les Amoureuses is the estate's defining wine. - Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé (0.65 ha) — also the dominant owner of Musigny itself; Amoureuses anchors the second tier of the portfolio. - Maison Joseph Drouhin (0.59 ha) — the Beaune négociant has held its parcel for generations. - Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier (0.53 ha) — a benchmark Chambolle producer whose interpretation is consistently precise. - Domaine Georges Roumier — Christian Roumier's bottling draws comparisons with Groffier's as the other summit of the *climat*.
Together these five producers have established Les Amoureuses as the definitive "near-Grand Cru" of the Côte de Nuits — the premier cru that routinely prompts the question of why the classification has not been revised.
Côte de Nuits・Rouge · 1947–2024 (5-point overall, newest on right)
| Yr | Score | Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ★★★★★ | Drink early | Frost, hail and mildew made Pinot Noir extremely challenging. Yields fell to a quarter in worst cases and quality is below average. |
| 2023 | ★★★★★ | Drink early | A large crop with seductive fruit but uneven density and consistency. Approachable, charming wines for early-to-medium drinking. |
| 2022 | ★★★★★ | Hold | Despite the heat, perfumed and alluring reds with refined tannins seamlessly bonded to fruit. A modern Burgundy benchmark. |
| 2021 | ★★★★★ | Hold | A return to cool-climate classicism. Village wines are juicy and crunchy; Grands Crus show poise, freshness and elegance. |
| 2020 | ★★★★★ | Hold | Concentrated and dramatic with surprising freshness from early picking. A great vintage with strong long-term aging potential. |
| 2019 | ★★★★★ | Hold | Exceptional vintage with ripeness exceeding many recent years yet retaining classical balance. Outstanding Pinot for medium-to-long aging. |
| 2018 | ★★★★★ | Hold | Dark, vivacious reds combining ripeness with freshness. A superb vintage with structure and depth for long aging. |
| 2017 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | A generous harvest producing supple, accessible reds with juicy fruit and soft tannins — for near-to-medium-term enjoyment. |
| 2016 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | Frost devastated yields, but the survivors made deep-coloured, lively, fleshy reds with soft tannins — charming for medium-term drinking. |
| 2015 | ★★★★★ | Hold | Ripe, vivacious, structured and deeply fruited — one of the great recent vintages with outstanding long-term aging potential. |
| 2014 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | Fresh, vital and energetic reds with more length than amplitude. Elegant and transparent Pinot Noir built for medium-term aging. |
| 2013 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | A cool, late vintage producing pure, crisp, fresh reds with clear site definition. Medium-term wines with terroir-driven character. |
| 2012 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | Frost and hail cut yields severely, but survivors produced harmonious reds with structure and balance, built for graceful aging. |
| 2011 | ★★★★★ | Drink now | Lighter than 2010 and less opulent than 2009, but with pure Pinot character. Charming, approachable and best enjoyed in the near term. |
| 2010 | ★★★★★ | At peak | A classical masterpiece with ideal balance of fruit, acidity and tannin. Complex, concentrated and now entering its peak drinking window. |
| 2009 | ★★★★★ | Hold | A celebrated vintage of ripe, pure fruit; top wines built for the long haul. |
| 2008 | ★★★★★ | At peak | A late, small harvest yielding pure, vibrant reds; an underrated vintage. |
| 2007 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Fruity, vivid, elegant reds for early to mid-term drinking. |
| 2006 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Charming, fruity reds with ripeness and balance; drinking well now. |
| 2005 | ★★★★★ | Hold | A historic vintage ranking among the best since 1978; ripe, dense yet pure and balanced. |
| 2004 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Hail and oidium challenged the year; meticulous sorting yielded elegant reds. |
| 2003 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Historic heatwave year; exotic, concentrated wines destined to be classics, though polarising. |
| 2002 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Fresh, balanced and elegant; successful from top to bottom across the appellation. |
| 2001 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Top wines are lean, structured and potentially long-lived. |
| 2000 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Rain softened the wines; many lack structure and are now past prime. |
| 1999 | ★★★★★ | At peak | A modern reference vintage; juicy, rich, vibrant Pinots from top domaines. |
| 1998 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Uneven due to frost and hail; top wines age well but most suited to drink early. |
| 1997 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Ripe, soft Pinots with low natural acidity for early drinking. |
| 1996 | ★★★★★ | At peak | A classic vintage with vivid acidity and concentration; grands crus showing brilliantly. |
| 1995 | ★★★★★ | At peak | Elegant, firm reds with ripe fruit and refined tannins. |
| 1994 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | September rain caused rot; a tough vintage with high-acid survivors. |
| 1993 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Thick-skinned grapes yielded dense, tannic, classically structured reds. |
| 1992 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A generous, supple vintage lacking structure; suited to early drinking. |
| 1991 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Frost and hail tested the year, but Cote de Nuits ripened before rain to good effect. |
| 1990 | ★★★★★ | At peak | A historic vintage of richness, concentration and structure; top wines still majestic. |
| 1989 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Ripe and seductive, almost matching 1990 in quality with refined elegance. |
| 1988 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A warm September produced structured reds; the start of a celebrated trio. |
| 1987 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Difficult flowering led to modest wines; most are past peak today. |
| 1986 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A difficult year of rain and rot; quality wines were rare. |
| 1985 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A historic vintage of grace, balance, ripe fruit and great ageing potential. |
| 1983 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Heat and rot made for a mixed year; some powerful, concentrated reds emerged. |
| 1982 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A huge crop diluted many wines; top examples offered early-drinking pleasure. |
| 1980 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Initially underestimated; later valued for balance and aromatic finesse. |
| 1978 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A late-harvest masterpiece of the century, combining richness and refinement. |
| 1976 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A hot summer produced concentrated, tannic reds that aged well. |
| 1972 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A cool year with austere acidity at first; top wines aged beautifully. |
| 1971 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A classic vintage of concentration and structure; gained depth with long ageing. |
| 1969 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Elegant with great longevity; Cote de Nuits achieved historic success. |
| 1966 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Remembered as a classic vintage of balance and elegance. |
| 1964 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A rich, concentrated vintage that aged with distinction. |
| 1962 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A notable late-20th-century vintage producing elegant, perfumed reds. |
| 1961 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A concentrated, structured year; less famous than Bordeaux but a classic. |
| 1959 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A pinnacle of the 1950s combining generosity, elegance and finesse. |
| 1957 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | An excellent vintage producing velvety, balanced wines. |
| 1955 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | Considered among the outstanding Burgundy vintages of the late 20th century. |
| 1953 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A vintage of rare elegance and charm; a Europe-wide success. |
| 1949 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A post-war masterpiece combining balance and elegance; a Burgundy benchmark. |
| 1947 | ★★★★★ | Past peak | A legendary vintage of the century; extreme heat produced rare concentration. |
Aggregated consensus from professional and trade assessments. Individual vineyards or producers may diverge.
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