(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d’ Or here.)
Harvesting began on 4 September and lasted eight days. The wines are about half whole clusters. Very little triage was necessary. Quantities are good, similar to 2009. No pigeage (punching down) here, only remontage (pumping over) and a little délestage (rack and return). Alcohols range from 13º to 13.5º. Malo-lactic fermentations went very quickly.
These are good wines for the vintage, but as noted below, some lack tension compared to more classic vintages.
2018 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Red fruit and clove aromas. Smooth in mouth with red fruits. Medium-weight. Good charm. From the Grands Champs lieu-dit which is by Gevrey-Chambertin. (87-89)
2018 Beaune 1er Cru Teurons
Dark fruit, good freshness, concentration, firmness. (89-91)
2018 Gevrey-Chambertin vieilles vignes
Dark intense, dense, powerful, slightly spicy. Average age of vines is about 60 years. (89-91)
2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur
Good freshness to red and dark plum fruit. Less tightly-wound and exotic than usual. Finesse and ripeness. Clos Prieur terroir doesn’t show through here, but a very good wine, nonetheless. (89-92)
2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle
Good freshness, mineral red fruits typical of Petite Chapelle, but less tightly-wound than usual. (89-92)
2018 Latricières-Chambertin
Relaxed with Latricières dark fruits. Focused, pure, fresh, some tension. (93-95)
2018 Chapelle-Chambertin
Very stony nose typical of Chapelle-Chambertin. In mouth, fresh, pure, some energy, nervy red and black fruits, minerality, good density. (93-95)
2018 Chambertin
Good depth and freshness, dark and red fruits, some minerality, not quite as tightly structured as the Chapelle-Chambertin. (93-95)