Charmes-Chambertin is one of Gevrey-Chambertin's lesser-known grand cru sites, located on the Côte d'Or right below the famous Le Chambertin climat itself. Often refered to alongside the Mazoyères-Chambertin vineyard, Charmes-Chambertin makes some of the softer Pinot Noir wines from Gevrey-Chambertin's stretch of grand cru vineyards.
The vineyard occupies the lowest and most shallow slopes of the grand cru belt, close to the border with Morey-Saint-Denis. The soils in the vineyard are well-drained and stony, with a thin layer of pebble-strewn chalky topsoil over a deep, rocky base. The percentage of clay reduces slightly towards the higher edge of the site, giving way to drier, looser limestone.
Due to subtle topographical changes along the slopes, Charmes-Chambertin faces a few points north of east, meaning that its vines are not so fully exposed to the morning sunshine. This contributes to the fresher, lighter style of its wines, which are best consumed at an earlier age than those of its neighbors. Charmes is surrounded by climats that produce structured, full-bodied and ageworthy wines, and its reputation has suffered somewhat as a result of this juxtaposition. Some wine critics have openly questioned the validity of its grand cru status.
Charmes-Chambertin was classified as a grand cru site in 1937, along with its eight grand cru neighbors, all of whom have the Chambertin suffix. In the 19th Century, all the climats surrounding the esteemed Chambertin site began to take on the famous name, as permitted by Napoleonic law. Wines made on the neighboring Mazoyères-Chambertin site may also take the Charmes-Chambertin name, although this does not apply in reverse.
