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.)

Maison MARCHAND-TAWSE and Domaine TAWSE (Nuits-Saint-Georges) Part II -- 2022 Côte de Nuits Wines Tasted from Barrel

 

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As I stated in my previous post, this is a producer to consider if you don’t already know it — they provide quality wines, especially at the premier and grand cru level at a time when other sources are drying up in the market.

All wines below négociant wines vinified by Marchand-Tawse and will be sold under the Marchand-Tawse label. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des Lambrays -- 2022 Tasted from Barrel

 

Since I last visited in 2019, a new cuverie has been installed, looking very much like that which Faiveley put in a few years before.

The 2022s were ready to pick as early as 25 August, explained Jacques Devauges, but he delayed until 1 September. He began then with the whites and the harvest was over on 8 September. Yields in 2021 were about half of normal; in 2022, they were normal plus some more. Malolactic fermentations finished before Christmas 2022, quite common in Burgundy, as there was very little malic acidity in the vintage. 

As the estate continues with organic and biodynamic practices under the excellent direction of Jacques Devauges, there is no question that quality continues to mount. (Continue reading here.)

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Domaine David DUBAND/François FEUILLET (Chevannes) -- 2018 Tasted from Cask Samples

(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d’Or here.)

David Duband said that harvesting began on 3 September. The first grapes to come in were at 12.5-13º potential alcohol, and after nine days, the grapes being harvested were still in the mid-13’s. Yields were good, comparable to 2017: 35 hl/ha for the grands crus, 45-48 hl/ha for the premiers crus, and 50 hl/ha for the village wines. Whole clusters were 60% for the Hautes Côtes and village wines, 75% for the premier cru wines, and 90% for the grands crus. Vinification was standard; no modifications of punching down (pigeage) or other aspects. Malolactic fermentations went very fast.

(Wines bottled under the Feuillet label are identical to those bottled under the Duband label.)

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine G./Christophe* ROUMIER (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2018 Tasted from Barrel

(Please see my overall comments on the 2018 Côte d’ Or vintage here.)

Christophe Roumier said that he began harvesting on 5 September. Harvesting lasted six days and he characterized it as “easy” and “quick.” Yields were normal and less than in 2017. Alcohols were relatively high -- up to 14.2º, although most were in the 13.2-14.0º range. Whole clusters are 35% for the village wine, about 50% in the premier cru wines and 55% in the grand cru wines. Christophe performed very little punchdown (pigeage) in 2018. Malolactic fermentations began in April and finished in July.

Wines marked with an asterisk (*) are labelled as Christophe Roumier; the other wines are labelled Domaine G. Roumier.

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2017 Tasted from Bottle

My notes on 2017 Dujac wines tasted prior to bottling are here, here, and here.

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Part III -- Whites Tasted from Tank

My introduction to the 2018 vintage at Dujac is here.

Some of the whites are acidified, but not the Monts Luisants, which despite having gone through malolactic fermentation has a pH below 3!

These wines are yet another example of the surprising quality of 2018 whites.

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Part II: Red Premier and Grand Cru Wines Tasted from Barrel

My introduction to the 2018 vintage at Dujac is here.

(Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC and DUJAC Père & Fils (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Tasted from Barrel and Tank Part I: Dujac Village Reds and Dujac P&F Reds

(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d’ Or here.)

Jeremy Seysses said that the harvest began with the whites in Puligny on 27-28 August, and on 30 August he began to harvest the reds. On 12 September the last of the Fils & Père wines came in, finishing the harvest. There was some change from the usual order of harvesting; in particular, the village wines came in first because they suffered less water stress. Yields were generous, comparable to 1999. Alcohols are generally normal, with Gevrey-Chambertin Fils & Père wines and the Gruenchers being above 14º, then the estate Morey-St-Denis being 13.7º, and the rest 12.5-13.5º. Use of whole clusters was in the range of 85-90%, and there was less punching down (pigeage) than usual in order to avoid over-extraction. Malolactic fermentations started early and finished a little earlier than usual (which nevertheless is later than in the 1980s and 1990s, when Dujac was one of the estates I visited that typically had very early malos).

For those lucky enough to have access to Domaine Dujac wines, this was one of the most memorable estates that I visited last autumn -- buy whatever you can access and afford.

(Continue reading here.)

Hubert LIGNIER (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Part II -- Premier Cru and Grand Cru Wines Tasted from Tank Samples

Please see here for part I of my notes on Lignier’s 2018 wines and background on vintage conditions.

(Continue reading here.)

Hubert LIGNIER (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Part I: Regional and Village Wines Tasted from Barrel and Tank Samples

(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in the Côte d’Or here.)

Laurent Lignier said that he began harvesting 4 September, and finished on 12 September. 

He performed 5-6 days of pre-fermentation maceration and light extraction — more pumping over (remontage) and not much punching down (pigeage). For inspiration, in 2003 the estate didn’t do any punching down, and Laurent likes the 2003s today. 

Malo-lactic fermentations were mostly done between November and mid-December, a few went into beginning of year. All of the malos began after the alcoholic fermentations. The great majority of the wines include 30% whole clusters, the highest proportion Laurent has ever done; he did this to preserve freshness and elegance and elegance in the wines. 

With respect to alcohols, the Gevrey-Chambertin, La Justice at 13.1º is the lowest; the Bourgogne Grand Chaillot at 14.7º is the highest.  (The Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru La Riotte is only other other wine above 14º). As other producers noted, the grapes moved very fast in ripeness, gaining 3º of potential alcohol in two weeks. Most of the wines are in the mid-13º range.

Laurent has been doing a magnificent job at this estate and the tricky 2018 vintage is just another example.

Beginning with 2019, the estate is certified organic.

(Continue reading here.)

Maison MARCHAND-TAWSE -- 2018 Reds Tasted from Barrel

Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage here and my notes on the 2018 Domaine Tawse wines here. 

As with the Domaine Tawse wines, there are some very ripe wines here that will not please lovers of classic Burgundy style. (Continue reading here.)

Chantal RÉMY and Héritières Louis RÉMY (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2018 Tasted from Barrel

(Please read my vintage overview here.)

Florian Rémy said that he began harvesting on 6 September.

We begin with three negociant wines under the Héritières Louis Rémy label. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine FOURRIER (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2018 Tasted from Barrel Samples

(Please read my vintage summary here.)

My first visit to taste 2018s was at Jean-Marie Fourrier’s Gevrey-Chambertin estate. Not all wines were available to taste as some were being transferred from barrel to holding tank.

Harvesting began on 6 September and there was a 4-1/2 or 5 day picking window, said Jean-Marie. He went with the 100-days-from-flowering rule because when he tasted grapes in the vineyards prior to then, they were sweet, but did not have flavor (i.e., they had physiological maturity but not phenolic maturity). Harvesting took place from 6.30 in the morning to 1.30 in the afternoon; later in the afternoons, the grapes were too warm to bring in, and Jean-Marie did not want to use dry ice to cool them because he believes that it is too brutal to the gapes exposed directly and also that it provides uneven cooling. 

There was no acidification here, and as usual in the past, no whole cluster fermentation (but in 2019 there will be about 20% whole clusters). Malolactic fermentations took place in the spring.

Alcohols range up to 13.8% (Clos Sorbés) (Continue reading here.)

Jean-Marie FOURRIER (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2016 Part II: Domaine Wines Tasted from Tank and Barrel Samples

(Originally published November 2017)

The disaster that the frost caused in Chambolle-Musigny was well-known, so there was no surprise that the estate lost 50% of a normal crop there. But word had been that only Chambertin had been badly hit in 2016, so I was surprised at my visit here, the first in Gevrey on the trip, to learn that Fourrier lost 30% of his crop in Gevrey-Chambertin (I subsequently visited other producers who had serious Gevrey losses).

Harvesting here began on 28 September and lasted four days. Malolactic fermentations were late for the estate, finishing between April and June. As always, all the grapes were destemmed (but see an exception in Fourrier’s negociant wines that I will next review). The wines should be bottled in the first two months of next year. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine des LAMBRAYS (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel and Bottle

(Originally published November 2017)

When I arrived for my visit, I was greeted in the office by Thierry Brouhin, who guided this estate since 1979, bringing it back from a seriously deteriorated reputation to one that is now worthy of the Clos des Lambrays's grand cru status. Thierry postponed his retirement to stay on under LVMH, the recent purchaser of the domaine, and then to work side-by-side with Boris Champy, his successor. It was good to see Thierry again and I wish him the very best in his retirement.

It was Boris who took me into the cellar to do the tasting. Boris and I are not strangers, as I had visited Dominus in Napa Valley when he was charged with making the wines there. From there, Boris returned to his native France, and had been in charge of the vineyards for Louis Latour before taking his position with Lambrays.

Here we start with the whites, which had been bottled just a few days before. (Continue reading here.)

CLOS DE TART (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2016 Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published December 2017)

I visited on Friday, 27 October, just as all Burgundy was buzzing about the news of an incipient sale of the estate — although the purchaser would not be announced until the following week. 

It turned out that François Pinault, owner of Domaine de l’Eugénie in Vosne-Romanée, was the purchaser. I’ve not heard yet anything about whether Clos de Tart will remain separate or will be folded into Eugénie, where Frédéric Engherer of Pinault’s Château Latour in Bordeaux is in charge.

In any event, Jacques Desvauges, who recently succeeded Sylvain Pitiot at Clos de Tart, has made a 2016 Clos de Tart that is as pure and beautiful an expression of this great terroir as one could want.

As with most of Morey-Saint-Denis, the estate came out with minimal damage from the frost — there was a little bit at the bottom of the Clos. There was, however, lots of mildew as the estate was in the second year of organic practice and the first of biodynamic conversion. Overall, production was 35 hl/ha vs. an average for the previous ten years of 25 hl/ha. — “un miracle” exclaimed Jacques.

Harvesting began on 28 September, the same as in 2010. Jacques described the grapes as “splendid.” The natural ripeness varied from 13.2 to 13.6º, there was good acidity, and lots of aromatics.

Continuing recent trends, the estate is moving to more whole clusters. In 2016, 60% of the wine is made with whole clusters, but none of the second wine had whole clusters. (Continue reading here.)

Maison MARCHAND-TAWSE (Nuits-St-Georges) -- 2016 Part I: Côte de Nuits Regional, Village, and Premier Cru Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published December 2017)

This negociant operation founded by Pascal Marchand and Moray Tawse, has put together an excellent selection of Côte de Nuits wines. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC and DUJAC Fils & Père (Morey-St-Denis) -- 2016 Part II: Premier Cru Reds Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published January 2018)

There’s quite a good selection here, and quality goes from good for premier cru to what would be more than good for grand cru. Alas, the Chambolle-Gruenchers, habitually one of my favorite wines at this estate, was declassified into the village Chambolle due to minute quantity, as I previously reported. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine DUJAC and DUJAC Fils & Père (Morey-St-Denis) 2016 Part I: Village Reds Tasted from Barrel

(Originally published January 2018)

Harvesting for the reds began on 27 September.

The Dujac Père & Fils wines have continued to improve, and as you see here, I put them on the same level as their peers for domaine village wines, quite an accomplishment.  (Continue reading here.)