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 ferementations began in April 2018, a little earlier than usual.
2017 Bourgogne Cuvée Noble Souche Pinot Noir
From a vineyard north of Dijon at 300 meters altitude, this wine is pure, precise, and focused with red fruits and a beautiful, silky texture. There’s freshness, minerality, and length, too. 20% new wood on this wine. (89-91)
2017 Marsannay Les Longeraies
The Marsannay is similar to the Bourgogne but has a little more weight and length. 45 hll/ha here, about 20-25% new oak, and all grapes destemmed. (89-92)
2017 Fixin vieilles vignes
The Fixin vieilles vignes is from vines that are about sixty years old. The wine is elegant and pure with a silky texture. The wine has good precision and freshness to its red and dark plum fruit. About 20-25% new oak here, about 30% whole clusters. (90-92)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Mes 5 Terroirs
Mortet’s Gevrey, Mes 5 Terroirs is spicy with a silky texture, good density, and typical Gevrey wild red and dark fruits. 30% new barrels, 20% whole clusters. (92-94)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Beaux Bruns
The nose shows deep dark fruits. The mouth is round, deep, and pure with dark fruits, calm, and good length. The vines were planted in 1985 with Pinot droit clones; for the last ten years, Arnaud has been using the Cordon Royat pruning system which operates to limit yields. 70% new oak here, "not much” whole cluster. (92-95)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
From three terroirs — Petite Chapelle, Bel Air, and Cherbaudes — that typically have plenty of tension and energy, this wine has a sharp nose with raciness and red fruits. The mouth is round with raspberry and framboise (the liqueur) flavors and it is elegant and round. 70% new oak, which is handled very well, and 30% whole clusters. (93-95)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champonnets
Mortet’s Gevrey-Champonnets has ripe blackberry fruit that is smooth, pure, precise, fresh, and light on the tongue. More than half the vines are over 80 years old. 60-70% new oak, a “little" whole cluster fruit. (92-94)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux
Dark fruits here, including some plums, some sappiness, but also freshness. This wine has good calmness and more weight than the previous wines. The vines are 60-100 years old in four parcels, one in each corner of the appellation. 60-70% new wood, 30% whole clusters. (92-94)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux-Saint-Jacques
The Lavaux-Saint-Jacques has typical stony aromas. The mouth shows ripe dark fruits with minerality, power, and energy, but not the tension that I usually find here. 70% new oak, “very little” whole cluster. (93-95)
2017 Clos de Vougeot
The nose here still shows some new oak (70% in this wine) along with typical black and red raspberry aromas that then continue as flavors in the mouth. The wine is medium-full and elegant for Clos de Vougeot. 30% whole clusters here. The vines are at the northeast corner of the vineyard on gravelly soil and did not suffer any hydric stress in 2017 or 2018. (93-96)
2017 Chambertin
The Chambertin shows mineral red fruits with lightness, purity, freshness, and good precision — a classic Chambertin. A little less than three barrels made. (94-96)