Harvesting began in 7 September and was able to go for ten days before there was any rain. Yields were “good.” As is customary here, all grapes were destemmed. Malo-lactic fermentations were early, having finished by January.
2017 Bourgogne-Hautes Côtes de Nuits Pinot Noir
This attractive wine is fresh and pure with red fruits, lightness, enough structure, and lots of charm — very Pinot, as the Burgundians would say. (87-89)
2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
The Bourgogne is rounder with mineral red fruits, lightness, and purity. This is from vines that average about 50 years-old and are in the communes of Nuits and Vosne. (87-89)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny Combe d’Orveaux
From a vineyard that was essentially wiped out by the frost in 2016, the Chambolle rebounds with a wine of purity, violets, red fruits, charm, lightness, precision, and finesse. Even though not in the heart of Chambolle vineyards (the vineyard is located south and over the hill from the village of Chambolle), the wine expresses what most people expect of the village’s wines. (90-92)
2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux
Les Barreaux is a village lieu-dit that sits immediately above Richebourg, Cros Parantoux, and Brulées, and adjoins Petits Monts at the southern end. In both 2017 and 2018, this vineyard produced 8 barrels (2400 bottle) instead of the usual five. This in part is due to the fact that since 2012, the replacement of low-yielding very old vines has been speeded up. Nevertheless, average vine age here is about 64 years-old. The wine has chipped stone aromas. The mouth is light, pure, mineral, precise, and long. It is a wine of great charm. (91-93)
2017 Echézeaux Les Loachausses
This shows Echézeaux sensuality in its smooth texture, along with strawberry fruit and more weight than the Barreaux. It will needs some bottle aging to show its best, I think. (92-95)
2017 Clos-Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui
The Clos-Vougeot shows red fruits of the vintage, density, finesse, and some tannin. There’s good length and more concentration than for the Echézeaux. 2016, with the frost, at produced just 7 barrels, in 2017 there are 18. Average vine age is 81 years. (92-95)
2017 Richebourg
Last, the Richebourg displays density and finesse with dark and red plums, power, and explosiveness. A outstanding and classic Richebourg. (95-97)