I’ve known the wines of this estate through three generations: Robert Arnoux, his son-in-law Pascal Lachaux, and now Pascal’s son and Arnoux’s grandson, Charles Lachaux (Pascal is still involved, though). There have been changes in styles of the wines during this long period, but the wines have always been of high quality. That said, these 2015s are potentially the best of all the vintages I’ve known here. Of course, it helps to have excellently-sited and cared-for vineyards and old vines (the youngest are in their early 40s, average age for the domaine is 50-60 years, and the Romanée-Saint-Vivant vines are 90 years-old).
Harvesting took place from 3 to 7 September. Yields were small — generally about 25-30 hl/ha for village wines, 20 hl/ha for the premiers crus, and 15-18 hl/ha for the grands crus. Overall, this represents about half a full cellar (and half of 2014). Charles attributes the reduced production to the small grapes due to the grass in the rows competing with the vines for water during the dry summer. All wines are minimum 70% whole clusters, as indicated below. Chaptalization was minimum, 0.1 or 0.2º, in some cases none. New oak is 15% for the village wines ranging up to 35% for the Romanée-Saint-Vivant; Charles said that he couldn’t reduce the new oak as much in 2014 because he did not have enough used barrels. Timing of malolactic fermentations was normal for the estate. The pHs here finished around 3.70, which was lower (i.e., higher acid) than Charles expected for the year.
The changes that Charles has instituted are major, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Among the changes in the vineyard are a new canopy management system (cutting the tops of the vines later and taller in the past, thereby permitting more photosynthesis and earlier ripening). Another change is in the pruning system. He is now pruning longer using a system that predominated in older days in Chassagne and Puligny. Charles says that he was inspired to used this system by Luc Pavelot of Domaine Pavelot in Pernand-Vergelesses who has always used this system, and Charles says the Domaine Leroy does something similar.
In the cellar, the major changes have been the reduction of new oak (which had been 100% new at one time) and the use of whole clusters, which prior to Charles had been long eschewed here.
These are some of the most successful wines of 2015 at all levels and worthy of your highest interest, even if you have not followed the estate in recent years.
2015 Bourgogne Pinot Fin
If you don’t already know it, Arnoux-Lachaux’s Bourgogne has long been one of the handful of very top Bourgognes around. The wine is clean and pure with red berry fruit, freshness, drive, and balance. Bottled at the end of August 2016. 80% whole clusters in this wine. 91/A+
2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges
The Nuits features a smoky nose, dark fruit, especially blackberries, good structure and plenty of purity. It is delicious. 80% whole clusters in this wine. (91-94)
2015 Chambolle-Musigny
The Chambolle has purity to its long dark fruits wrapped in a silky texture. 70% whole clusters here. (90-94)
2015 Vosne-Romanée
The silkiness is found here in the Vosne, too, but the fruits are red. The wine is fresh and energetic. 70% whole cluster, 15% new oak for this wine. (91-94)
2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Poisets
The Nuits, Poisets shows lower acidity than the Vosne (3.77 pH here) but the wine is still balanced and fresh in its dark fruits. There’s also some power and firmness here. 100% whole clusters. (89-93)
2015 Vosne-Romanée Les Hautes Maizières
Arnoux-Lachaux's Hautes Maizières continues this string of outstanding village wines. It is fresh and light with red berry fruits, spices, purity, elegance, and length. 80% whole clusters, 20% new oak. The vines here are about 60 years-old. (90-93)
2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Procès
Moving to the premiers crus, the Procès is dense and stony with clear red and dark fruits, power, and very good balance. 70% whole clusters here. (91-94)
2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Corvées Pagets
The nose here is fresh blackberries. The mouth is light, pure, and round with strawberry and red currant fruit of great finesse, lightness, and finesse. 100% whole clusters here, 13.2º alcohol. (92-95)
2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes
Arnoux-Lachaux’s Vosne-Chaumes has spicy red fruits in the nose with some earthiness that adds complexity. In the mouth, the wine is light and pure with strawberry and red currant fruit, roundness, and great finesse. 80% whole clusters here, 20% new oak. (90-94)
2015 Clos-de-Vougeot
This estate always produces a top Clos-de-Vougeot. Here, we have the classic black raspberry aromas and flavors with purity, length, intensity, clarity, and good body, plus a combination of power and elegance. 70% whole clusters, 25% new oak. The vines here are a clonal selection, as opposed to massal selection, but as they are now 60 years-old, the grapes are smaller than when the clones were young, permitting higher quality. (93-97)
2015 Échézeaux
This super Échézeaux features dark fruit that is intense, mineral, and clear. The wine shows the sensuality of of the vineyard and it is long with impeccable balance. 100% whole clusters. Yield here was 25 hl/ha (0.8 ha gave 8 barrels of the wine), high for Arnoux-Lachaux in 2015. (94-98)
2015 Latricières-Chambertin
Another superb grand cru, the Latricières-Chambertin has the chipped stone nose typical of the vineyard. The mouth is stony and nervy with clear red and dark fruits, finesse, and outstanding energy and Latricières nervosity. 100% whole cluster. Jean-Charles said that the vineyard was not in good shape when Arnoux-Lachaux took it over, and work in the vineyard was made more difficult by this plot being near the woods where it was colder and damper than portions nearer the road. (94-97)
2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
The Suchots, as one would expect, is no slouch, either. The wine has clear dark fruits and it is round, light, intense, and has a chiseled texture. 100% whole clusters. (93-97)
2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots
The Reignots, just above La Romanée, is spicy, light, intense, and ethereal with clarity to its red currant and pomegranate fruit. The wine is dense but light on the palate, long, and still fresh despite a high pH of 3.92. 100% whole clusters — Reignots was the first vineyard that Charles tried with all whole clusters. (94-97)
2015 Romanée-Saint-Vivant
Romanée-Saint-Vivant is one of the vineyards that I found to have stood out in 2015, and so it is not surprising that here the RSV is a very great wine. The wine has huge freshness, depth, sensuality, length, dark fruits with clarity, and outstanding length. 100% whole clusters. (95-99)