Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Olivier Bernstein, 2021

Olivier Bernstein has quickly cemented himself as one of the top micro-negociants in the region, crafting no less than 7 Grand Crus, though also 3 Premier Crus and 1 Village. He only controls around 7 hectares of vineyards across all 11 wines, meaning an average production of around 1550 bottles per cuvee. In a vintage like 2021, that will be much, much less.
He is the epitome of a new star in Burgundy and has received some excellent reviews over the years from the likes of Jancis Robinson, Allen Meadows and Jasper Morris. Originally destined perhaps for the music industry, an area in which his family have close ties, he left a burgeoning career in the corporate world in order to study his real passion in Beaune. He worked the 2002 vintage at Domaine Rouget, during which he met the late, great Henri Jayer and then went on to start his own domaine down in the Roussillon. Important lessons learned; he came back to Burgundy in 2007 to start his current micro negoce.
Olivier works extremely closely with his sources and he actually manages the vineyards himself, taking full control of the process, in all but one example. He even managed to purchase the plot of Mazis Chambertin, which is some achievement given both the sheer expense and lack of availability. All the vines Olivier works with are seriously old and in the case of the Mazis, more than 80 years.