Domaine Denis Mortet/Arnaud MORTET (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel Part II: Grand Crus

(Originally published 1 April 2016)

There has been an amazing expansion of grand cru offerings here — no longer just the Chambertin and the Clos de Vougeot, there are now at least seen different wines (although the Echézeaux won’t be commercialized in 2016 because production was so low; it is from the same parcel that Christophe Roumier now is making wine from).

2016 Mazoyères-Chambertin
This wine features dark cherry fruits with a smooth texture. It is rather elegant and refined for Mazoyères-Chambertin, which usually is a more rustic and less refined terroir. This wine will be bottled under the Arnaud Mortet label. (91-94)

2016 Charmes-Chambertin
The Charmes-Chambertin has finesse to go with red and dark cherry fruit. The wine is pure, lively, precise, and fresh. This wine, too, will be bottled under the Arnaud Mortet label. (92-96)

2016 Clos de Vougeot
The black raspberry fruit here is concentrated and pure. It appears that this wine will need quite a while to fully come around. Production is only 40% of a full vintage. (91-95)

2016 Mazis-Chambertin
The Mazis-Chambertin is from a parcel next to Clos de Bèze and at the bottom of the Mazis-Haut climat. Arnaud says that it took him until 2016 to get the vineyard the way he wanted it. The wine has pure dark fruits, especially dark plums, and it shows energy, power, and freshness. This is a wine that Mortet has as a sharecrop; for the moment, it is under the Denis Mortet label, but it is possible that in the future it will appear under the Arnaud Mortet label.  (92-95)

2016 Bonnes-Mares
The Bonnes-Mares features red fruits that are airy. The wine is a little marked by new wood for now, but also shows freshness and finesse. Mortet exploits 36 ares; in 2016 he had three barrels, a full vintage would be seven. Two of the three barrels are new. On balance, Arnaud says that there are more white soils here than red. (92-96)

2016 Chambertin
The Chambertin is pure, fresh, lively, and precise with red currant fruit. Alas, yield here was on 12 hl/ha. (93-97)