My review of the Confuron wines from barrel 2016 is here. The vintage was very small in quantity, but is showing extremely well qualitatively. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine Jean-Jacques CONFURON (Prémaux-Prissey) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 1 November 2017.)
Alain Meunier said that harvesting began on 24 or 25 September.
Alain Meunier said that harvesting began on 24 or 25 September.
Production here was only about 25% of a normal vintage. Worst hit by the freezes were Clos de Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, Bourgogne, Côte de Nuits-Villages, and village Nuits-Saint-Georges. There was no production of one of the two Côte de Nuits-Villages, and the amount of the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru harvested was so small that it was blended with the village Chambolle-Musigny.
The estate follows organic practices in the vineyards.
The estate follows organic practices in the vineyards.
The wines from vineyards that did not have whole clusters had slower malolactic fermentations (generally finishing in April) and had not been racked, yet, when I tasted in late October. We began with those wines: (Continue reading here.)
Domaine Jean-Jacques CONFURON (Prémeaux-Prissey) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
Alain Meunier said that he began harvesting 5 or 6 September. Over the summer, he had performed a green harvest. Resulting overall yields were about 40 hl/ha, which he described as “generous,” but that’s not surprising given the frost losses in 2016 and the tendency of vines to come back very vigorously the year following such a frost. There was a 2% bleeding of the vats (saigner) for all wines.
All wines that I tasted below were from destemmed grapes; there were some whole clusters in the Bourgogne, but I did not taste that wine, as it was being prepared for bottling or was already in bottle.
Now working with his children, Alain said that there was more maceration and less punching down (pigeage) than in the past, less new oak, and as a result, less use of SO2. The amount of new oak is 20% for village wines, 30% for 1er crus, and 50% for grands crus.
Malo-lactic fermentations took place at various times, some finishing in the January 2018, others finishing not long before I visited in November 2018. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine de l'ARLOT (Prémeaux-Prissey) -- 2017 Tasted from Bottle and Tank and Barrel Samples
Harvesting began on 7 September, said technical director Géraldine Godot. Yields for this estate overall were 28.5 hl/ha, which she characterized as the lower part of normal.
Following my preference, we begin with the reds. (Continue reading here.)
More Recently Tasted Northern Rhônes: Durand, Farge, Ferraton, Marsanne, Paris
All wines are red unless otherwise stated. (Continue reading here.)
Recently Tasted Northern Rhônes: Burgaud, Buryères/Reynaud, Chatagnier, Courbis, Darnaud
All wines below are red unless otherwise specified. (Continue reading here.)
Armand ROUSSEAU Père & Fils (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
Harvesting at Rousseau began on 5 September. Yields were “good”, said Cyrielle Rousseau. Excess was contained by taking grapes off the vines in July and August.
As usual, grapes were destemmed, but a small amount of stems was added back to the fermentation tank to aid drainage. Malolactic fermentations finished at the end of January. Alcohols are normal. (Continue reading here.)
Emmanuel ROUGET (Flagey-Echézeaux) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
Emmanuel Rouget said harvesting began on 8 September and that quantities were “good.” Most malo-lactic fermentations were early, but not all (this is a cellar where I often encounter late malos, in fact, malos that have not finished when I visit more than a year after the harvest).
The wines start very good and finish with some of the greatest wines of the vintage. (Continue reading here.)
CLOS DE TART (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2017 Tasted from Cask Samples
My visit in November 2018 was with Jacques Devagues, who since has left Clos de Tart to make the wines from the neighboring vineyard, Clos des Lambrays, and other wines from Domaine des Lambrays.
The sale of Clos de Tart had been announced in 2017, just before my visit that year to Clos de Tart. Although Jacques did not say so on my 2018 visit, it was evident that a transition to the more modern style from new-sister estate Domaine d’Eugénie in Vosne-Romanée was coming (and hence not surprising that Jacques would be leaving).
Frost did not affect almost all of Morey-Saint-Denis in 2016, so Clos de Tart is one of the relatively few Côte d’Or estates to have produced less wine in 2017 than 2016 (32 hl/ha vs. 35 hl/ha). 2017 was the third year of organic cultivation and second of biodynamic, both started under Jacques. He said that his goal was to get yields down to 30 hl/ha. I don’t know the goals of the management following his departure.
Jacques said that 2017 was a cold winter, but then in March it turned warm — the warmest March there since 1957. Bud burst was on 30 March and flowering took place on 1 and 2 June, with a quick development. July and August were favorable, and so harvesting took place between 6 and 10 September. Malo-lactic fermentations took finished in May, which is the normal time here.
Contrary to previous vintages under Jacques and before him, Sylvain Pitiot, blending was in July rather than just prior to bottling. The blending included all the plots except the youngest vines, which date from 1999, 2005, and 2011. (Continue reading here.)
Jacques-Frédéric MUGNIER (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
Harvesting began here on 5 September. There was no triage, and Fred Mugnier characterized overall yields as “correct”— 35-40 hl/ha., which is actually modest when one factors in the tendency of vines affected by frost (as most of his were in 2016) to produce abundantly the following year.
All grapes were destemmed. Malolactic fermentations took place at various dates.
This is an outstanding to brilliant vintage at Mugnier; it may not be a collector’s vintage for the reds, but as the French would say, tant mieux! (Continue reading here.)
Arnaud MORTET (Gevrey-Chambertin -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
These are wines Arnaud Mortet is now commercializing under his own name. They are from purchased fruit or land owned with an investor. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine Denis MORTET (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel
Arnaud Mortet said that 2017 was a year of high ripeness for him, but less than 2018. He did a green harvest in 2017, removing half the grapes in the young vines that had been affected by the 2016 frost (and so were on their way to abundant production in 2017). Even so, he wound up with 43 hl/ha for his Gevrey vineyards. He did no triage though — were he didn’t do the green harvest and there was dilution, he sold that part off.
There was no chaptalization in 2017 (or 2018). Malo-lactic fermentations began in April 2018, a little earlier than usual. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine FAIVELEY/Joseph FAIVELEY (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2017 Part III: White Wines Tasted from Barrel and Tank Samples and from Bottle
The wines marked Joseph Faiveley below are négociant wines; the others are estate wines. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine FAIVELEY (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2017 Part II: Grand Cru Red Wines Tasted from Barrel and Tank Samples
All the grands crus are exclusively in new barrels and one year-old barrels. (Continue reading here.)
Domaine FAIVELEY/Joseph FAIVELEY -- 2017 Part I: Red Village Wines and Premiers Crus Tasted from Bottle and from Tank and Barrel Samples
Jérome Flous, technical director, said that Faively didn’t really chaptalize 2017, but to do so, it had to wait in harvesting to reach sufficient sugars.
There’s little more new oak than other vintages, he said, because the tannic structure wasn’t fully ripe.
Yields were 40-42 hl/ha on average average.
The Amoureuses (specified as Joseph Faiveley below) is a négociant wine; the rest are estate (Domaine Faiveley). (Continue reading here.)
Domaine Chantal RÉMY/Domaine des ROSIERS (Morey-St-Denis) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 3 April 2018.)
There isn't a lot of wine here, but what there is, is quite good. (Continue reading here.)
There isn't a lot of wine here, but what there is, is quite good. (Continue reading here.)
Jacques-Frédéric MUGNIER (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 24 January 2018.)
Frédéric Mugnier said that harvest began on 25 September. Crop size was about half normal. There was no triage and no chaptalization, and all grapes were destemmed. Some alcoholic fermentations finished in barrel, which is unusual. Malolactic fermentations were rather light, mostly finishing in the spring.
Jean et Jean-Louis TRAPET (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2017 from Bottle and Barrel
Jean-Louis Trapet said that he began harvesting on 5 or 6 September with the whites. Malo-lactic fermentations occurred in spring for some wines, summer for others. Up through the Gevrey-Clos Prieur, 30-50% whole clusters were used; the premier cru Capita and the grands crus are made entirely with whole clusters.
These are outstanding examples of how this vintage should supply wines for the near and medium-term to drink while allowing waiting time for some other recent vintages that are more structured. (Continue reading here.)
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part VII: Grand Cru White Wines from Chablis and the Côte de Beaune
(Originally published 14 April 2018.)
Background on the vintage at Jadot is located here.
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines.
Background on the vintage at Jadot is located here.
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines.
The three Chablis Grand Cru wines below are all from grapes that Jadot purchases and vinifies in large casks. The wines are then aged in oak, about 30% new, prior to bottling. (Continue reading here.)
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part VI: Côte de Beaune Premier Cru White Wines Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 14 April 2018.)
Background on the vintage at Jadot is located here.
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines. (Continue reading here.)
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines. (Continue reading here.)
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part V: Village White Wines Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 13 April 2018.)
Background on the vintage at Jadot is located here.
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines.
Background on the vintage at Jadot is located here.
As it often does, Jadot blocked full malolactic fermentation in about half the 2016 white wines.
As with the reds, there is excellent value to be had from Jadot’s wines from less fashionable appellations. (Continue reading here.)
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part IV: Côte de Nuits Grand Cru Wines Tasted from Barrel
Understand that in 2016, yields in Chambolle-Musigny were tiny. But for those lucky enough to obtain some of these wines: (Continue reading here.)
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Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part III: Côte de Nuits Premier Cru Red Wines Tasted from Barrel
As with the previous reviews of Jadot's 2016's, there is outstanding quality and consistency in this group of wines.
Note: the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses will be reviewed with Jadot's grands crus. (Continue reading here.)
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2016 Part II: Côte de Beaune Red Wines Other than Beaune Tasted from Barrel
Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2106 Beaune Red Wines Tasted from Barrel
(Originally published 9 April 2018.)
Overall, production at Jadot in 2016 is off 50% from a full harvest. Harvesting for the Côte d’Or wines began on 27 September. As is standard at Jadot, virtually all wines were made entirely with destemmed fruit. Malolactic fermentations were late, some finishing only in August.
The order of the wines below and in coming reviews of Jadot’s 2016s is that in which I tasted them, which is dictated at Jadot by location of the barrels, as the cellar is so large.
Because of the losses due to frost, you may have more trouble than usual locating a specific Beaune vineyard, but the good news is that the quality is very high here across the board. (Continue reading here.)
Bruno CLAVELIER -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel Samples
(Originally published 20 April 2018.)
Bruno Clavelier said that in 2016, he produced only one barrel per hectare (2.3 hl/ha) for regional appellations. For the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru appellations, he was able to produce three barrels per hectare (about 7 hl/ha). Village yields in Vosne were about 15 hl/ha. The Vosne premiers crus made about 27-30 hl/ha. For the Gevrey-Corbeaux and Nuits-Cras, production was more or less normal, and for the Corton, there was only a little frost damage.
Bruno Clavelier said that in 2016, he produced only one barrel per hectare (2.3 hl/ha) for regional appellations. For the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru appellations, he was able to produce three barrels per hectare (about 7 hl/ha). Village yields in Vosne were about 15 hl/ha. The Vosne premiers crus made about 27-30 hl/ha. For the Gevrey-Corbeaux and Nuits-Cras, production was more or less normal, and for the Corton, there was only a little frost damage.
Harvesting began on 21 September and finished on the 25th. Use of stems was a bit more than usual because of the small volumes; overall it was in the 40-60% range. Malolactic fermentations were a bit earlier than usual, beginning in the spring.
As usual, the quality at this longtime organic and biodynamic estate is excellent. (Continue reading here.)
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