2019 David Duband Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy

(from a .22 ha parcel). This too is aromatically very cool with its elegant and airy aromas of violet, red and dark currant and whiffs of humus and the sauvage. There is impressive vibrancy to the caressing yet muscular and intense larger-scaled flavors that exude an abundance of minerality on the serious, compact and focused finale that also flashes just a hint of warmth. Note well that this is very much a ‘buy and forget you own it’ wine. 

91-94 points Drink 2039+ Allen Meadows Burghound January 2021

David Duband, who exploits, among other vines, the former Jacky Truchot parcels, as well as consults for the Louis Max wines, succinctly told me that 2019 is a “vintage that could reasonably be compared to a richer 2017 or perhaps even 2009 with just a bit more zip. We picked from the 12th of September and brought in ripe fruit that possessed reasonable potential alcohols that came in between 12.5 and 13.3%, which is about where 2018 came in. Yields were good though not nearly as high as what we realized in 2018, which is to say around 38 hl/ha versus 38 and 48 hl/ha. I used between 60 and 90% whole clusters for the vinifications that finished with no difficulties. As weird as it might sound to say, I find the 2019s to be fun wines in that they have energy, are already delicious and should drink well early yet age well too.”

Allen Meadows Burghound January 2021

Regarded as one of the rising stars of Burgundy, David Duband took over his family domaine a very young age and now has more than 20 vintages of experience behind him. Starting with very small family holdings David, together with his business partner Francois Feuillet, have added to his portfolio of wines through the purchase of some exceptional old Grand cru vineyards throughout Gevrey Chambertin and Morey St Denis.

In recent years David has adapted his work in both the vineyards and cellars and in the last few years is producing wines with not only remarkable finesse and detail but also exhilarating intensity and freshness. Working organically in the vineyards and with low levels of S02 in the cellar he also uses a relatively high percentage of whole bunch ferment and a low percentage of new oak for ageing and this is adapted to each wine as it needs. This results in wines of striking purity with fabulous depth and intensity without sacrificing the details of the origins of each parcel of grapes. These are wines showing terroir and the soil signature of the fruit for each parcel above all else. These are wines that are built to age classically and gracefully.