(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d'Or here.)
Although quantities are good in 2018, they will go down again in 2019 — lacking 40%, and so comparable to 2016(!).
Although quantities are good in 2018, they will go down again in 2019 — lacking 40%, and so comparable to 2016(!).
Harvesting began on 4 or 5 September. There is some whole cluster fruit in the Echézeaux only.
There was a bit of a gap between the end of the alcoholic fermentations and the beginning of the malo-lactic fermentations, but the latter were done by December. Alcohols range from 13.5º to 14.2º.
The percentage of new oak is 20% for the Bourgogne, 30% for the village wines, 40-45% for the premiers crus, and 60-80% for the grands crus — the normal percentages here.
Here one can see the rapid progression of the ripening at the time of harvest — some wines are in a more classic style, others go to a riper style.
With the reclamation of vines that had been sharecropped, the estate now is 8 ha, as opposed to 6 ha about ten years ago.
2018 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
The Bourgogne has spice red fruit aromas. The mouth is ripe, spicy and smooth with good length, but less precision here than in some vintages. In 2015, 1/4 of the vineyard was replanted. (85-87)
2018 Vosne-Romanée
As you can see from the wine below, this is not exactly the same assemblage as in the past because the La Colombière plot has been separated out to its own bottling. The nose here is spicy and the fruit darker than in the Bourgogne. The mouth has dark fruits that are ripe (perhaps even a little roasted), there is a smooth texture, a fair amount of power, and some spice and tannins. (87-89)
2018 Vosne-Romanée La Colombière
Roses in the nose, followed in the mouth by dark fruits with more freshness, acidity, and overall classicism in style than the previous wine. The vines here probably date to 1955-60. (90-92)
2018 Nuits-Saint-Georgess Au Bas de Combe
The Nuits’s nose is fresh with dark fruits and some spices (the vineyard is on the border of Vosne-Romanée). The mouth is round and ripe but there is freshness here to go with dark fruits, spices, and good energy. (90-92)
[The Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes was not available for tasting because it was being assembled at the time of my visit.]
2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vignes Rondes
Hot stone aromas in the nose are followed in the mouth by dark fruits that are a little riper than in the Bas de Combe. This wine is ripe and very broad in the mouth. (89-92)
2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
Spices and dark fruits in the nose and mouth. The wine is medium-weight with good freshness, tannins to supply structure, and a dense texture. (91-93)
2018 Echézeaux
Mugneret-Gibourg's Echézeaux is ample and opulent with dark fruits that are still quite primary, and the wine has a velvet texture. 15% whole clusters. (92-95)
2018 Ruchottes-Chambertin
The nose of the Ruchottes-Chambertin shows the stoniness characteristic of the vineyard. The mouth is richer and less nervy than usual — an expression of the vintage — but there is stoniness here to go with the long dark and red fruits. (92-95)
2018 Clos-Vougeot
The star of the vintage is the Clos-Vougeot. This is classic Clos-Vougeot with red and black raspberry fruit, finesse despite the larges structure, and very good penetration. (94-96)