2016 Chateau Chalon

The second bottling of the 2016 Château Chalon was bottled in December 2024, almost one year later than the first one, and even though it's very difficult to tell them apart (it's just a small L02 at the bottom of the label on the left side), it would be worth finding it, because it has further complexity. It has notes of iodine, morel mushrooms, curry and nuts, much more precise, defined and nuanced. It's what I expect from Macle—complexity, elegance but also power and intensity. He was kind enough to uncork a bottle of the superb 2009, and this 2016 does not reach the same level of depth and intensity, but it's certainly much better than the first lot that I tasted last year. Or maybe it was the timing...

The delicious 2016 Château-Chalon is gorgeously elegant. Full-bodied and sapid, it engages the palate with nutty and spicy subtleties, anchored by a firm acidic backbone. Finishing with focus and persistence, this is a long-distance runner in need of extended time in the cellar to unearth its full potential. The 2016 says: “Watch me.”