Harvesting at the estate began on 5 September on the Côte de Beaune and then moved to the Côte de Nuits. Yields were about 35 hl/ha for the premiers crus and 28hl/ha for the grands crus. Since most of the vineyards on both Côtes suffered heavily from the frost in 2016, one would have expected larger yields, but very short pruning kept the 2017 yields admirably modest. As is normal here, all grapes were destemmed.
Malic acidities were “a little low, but not notably so,” and malo-lactic fermentations while quick for the Côte de Beaune wines, were slower for these from the Côte de Nuits.
Alcohols for all the wines are around 13º.
As has become normal here, this is an outstanding set of wines.
2017 Chambolle-Musigny
This Chambolle has ripe red fruit and beetroot aromas and flavors, with some dark fruits emerging in the mouth. The wine has good structure and firmness, with freshness and good acidity. (90-93)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes
The Chambolle-Feusselottes is less open in the nose than the village wine. The mouth shows dark fruits with finesse, freshness, and good intensity. (92-94)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Groseilles
There is more body in the Chambolle-Groseilles than the Feusselottes, and the wine has dense, dark fruits, spices, and good structure and underlying acidity. (92-95)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes
Pousse d’Or’s Chambolle-Charmes is dense and smooth with intense dark and red berry fruit, a touch of salinity, length in the mouth, and overall harmony. (93-95)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Typical floral aromas dominate the nose of the Chambolle-Amoureuses. The mouth is rather closed, but dense and concentrated with floral flavors and length for what is showing at the moment. (93-95)
2017 Bonnes-Mares
From Amoureuses to Bonnes-Mares is a big step up — to a wine that should achieve greatness with proper cellaring. The wine is long and pure with dark fruits, great complexity, length, power, and elegance. (95-98)
2017 Clos de la Roche
Last on the Côte de Nuits, the Clos de la Roche shows good freshness, minerality, and more tension than the great majority of 2017s that I tasted from this vineyard. (93-95)