The 2009 Chambertin is a relatively soft, approachable wine. Dried fruit, crushed flowers and sweet spices come together nicely, but this doesn’t appear to have the depth to support long-term aging. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Philippe Charlopin showed me a large number of wines during my recent visit. This is a solid range of wines from top to bottom, although I can’t help thinking Charlopin might be better served by focusing on fewer wines and aiming for the higher level of quality that informs his finest bottles. The majority of these wines were made from 100% destemmed fruit. In 2009 fermentations lasted from 20-25 days. Most of the wines saw 30% new oak, although the Grand Crus saw 50% new barrels. The house style favors a rich, opulent expression of fruit.Importer: Peter Weygandt, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

Charlopin has two barrels worth of 2006 Chambertin, a wine that comes as a shock after his other, hyphenated Chambertins, since there is a sinewy, slightly tough thread of tannin running throughout. But if one does not mind doing some chewing, this is dense-packed with black fruit essences, rich red meat flavors, and bitter-edged chocolate. Low-toned and muscular, it throws something of a rolling block of a finish that is also unexpected for the vintage. I would plan to revisit it around 2011 to get a better picture of its longer-run potential, and indeed I don't rule out its having had better days immediately before bottling than the one on which I caught it.Philippe Charlopin is known for his outgoing personality, which applies also to the wines of his domaine spread over more than two dozen appellations, an astonishing nine of which are grand crus. Elevage is long here, and when I last tasted his 2006s with Charlopin in Spring 2008, none had yet been bottled.Various importers, including The Country Vintner, Ashland, VA 23005; tel. (804) 752-3670 and Elite Wines, Lorton VA; tel. (703) 339-8150 and Wine Imports, Ltd., San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 451-2520