Maison MARCHAND-TAWSE and Domaine TAWSE Part IV -- A Sampling of 2021s from Bottle

 

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The Beaune and the Savigny are Domaine Tawse wines, the Morgon, Bourgogne Côte d’Or, Côte de Nuits-Village, and Morey-Saint-Denis  are Maison Marchand-Tawse wines. (Continue reading here.)

J. J. Confuron (Prémeaux) -- 2022's Tasted from Barrel and a 2021 Tasted from Bottle

 

I have been visiting this estate since the mid-1990s. The wines have always been of high quality (a 2001 Romanée-Saint-Vivant that I opened at the end of last year was all that one could have asked of that great vineyard), but there has been a welcome evolution over the years toward wines with less new oak and more elegance.

Alain and Sophie Meunier’s son Louis has now taken charge of the fermentations here and further added to the trend toward elegance and balance. Specifically, he has increased the period of cold maceration, does very little physical intervention, and uses much less SO₂. 

In short, this is an estate that has not received as much attention as it deserved in the past and that appears now to be poised to go to go to very top echelons of quality. Those lamenting the high prices of recent Burgundy vintages will find good values and quality wines at the lower levels. Those seeking top-of-the-heap Burgundy will focus on the top appellations.

Harvesting in 2022 began at the end of August. Overall yields were 39 hl/ha. Malolactic fermentations here were rapid, as was the case generally in 2022.

All wines below are red wines and were tasted from barrel. The estate has been organic since 1989, quite early for Burgundy. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Louis BOILLOT & Fils (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2018 Part II: Côte de Nuits Tasted from Barrel

My introduction to the vintage at Boillot is here.

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine Georges NOËLLAT/Maison Maxime CHEURLIN-NOËLLAT (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published December 2017)

Maxime Cheurlin said that losses overall were 40% from a full harvest. There was little triage, but many passes in the vineyards that froze were required. 

All grapes were destemmed. Malolactic fermentations were late, and indeed, some still had not finished when I visited on 31 October; I tasted those near the end of their malos, but others I did not. Additionally, four appellations were not made in 2016 because of damage from the frost.(Continue reading here.)

Domaine Jean-Jacques CONFURON (Prémaux-Prissey) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published 1 November 2017.)

Alain Meunier said that harvesting began on 24 or 25 September.

Production here was only about 25% of a normal vintage. Worst hit by the freezes were Clos de Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, Bourgogne, Côte de Nuits-Villages, and village Nuits-Saint-Georges. There was no production of one of the two Côte de Nuits-Villages, and the amount of the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru harvested was so small that it was blended with the village Chambolle-Musigny.

The estate follows organic practices in the vineyards.

The wines from vineyards that did not have whole clusters had slower malolactic fermentations (generally finishing in April) and had not been racked, yet, when I tasted in late October. We began with those wines: (Continue reading here.)

Jean et Jean-Louis TRAPET (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2017 from Bottle and Barrel

Jean-Louis Trapet said that he began harvesting on 5 or 6 September with the whites. Malo-lactic fermentations occurred in spring for some wines, summer for others. Up through the Gevrey-Clos Prieur, 30-50% whole clusters were used; the premier cru Capita and the grands crus are made entirely with whole clusters.

These are outstanding examples of how this vintage should supply wines for the near and medium-term to drink while allowing waiting time for some other recent vintages that are more structured. (Continue reading here.)