Domaine Frédéric Esmonin's 2023 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru is the best effort we have ever tasted here. The fruit comes from a 0.52-hectare parcel of over 50-year-old vines situated just below Clos des Ruchottes and near Mazis-Chambertin. The estate, which began bottling under its own label in 1988 after supplying grapes to top producers like Drouhin, Jadot, and Leroy, employs a restrained winemaking approach with brief cold maceration and aging in carefully selected French oak barrels from the Allier and Nevers forests. The 2023 vintage is a must-purchase for red Burgundy lovers, and the best young Ruchottes ever tasted at Chez Frédéric Esmonin. It showcases the exceptional purity of Pinot Noir, with pungent minerality, red berries, cherry, orange zest, iris, wet stones, liquid minerals, baking spices, and a savory note. Surprisingly drinkable now, it offers fresh red fruits, ample dry extract, and uncanny depth, with well-integrated tannins buried beneath its vibrant profile. Reminiscent of the legendary 1985 red Burgundy vintage with its purity of fruit, this wine remained impressive over three days of tasting, continually improving with time, which is a great sign for its age-ability. While not inexpensive, it offers remarkable value compared to producers like Armand Rousseau's Ruchottes-Chambertin, priced at six or seven times more and, at the end of the day, is a beautiful example of this excellent Chambertin Grand Cru