Beaune
1er Cru Les Grèves 2014
In Beaune, wine and pleasure are at the top of the agenda!
Pleasure on the eyes in the form of the Hospices, and pleasure of the senses with the superb mosaic of nature and humans formed by the vineyards of Beaune.
Origin
The vineyards of Beaune are unique in that out of approximately 400 ha of vines under production, over 300 ha are classified as Premier Cru. The appellation is divided into two parts, north and south, which are separated by a division marked by the road that goes from Beaune up to Bouze-Lès-Beaune.
In Old French, “Grèves” referred to sandy soil that was well adapted to viticulture. The 30-hectare “Les Grèves” vineyard is assuredly one of Beaune’s best-known Premiers Crus. Seen from above, it forms a square block and occupies the entire length of the gentle, east-facing slope.
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: very stony and sandy
Orientation: east
Surface area under vine: 0,8800 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 46 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 70 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: September the 17th 2014.
The grapes were handpicked. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and a second time on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: The grapes were 50% destemmed, 50% left whole and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration lasted a total of 25 days including one week of cold maceration (12°C). Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). Infrequent punching of the cap (8 maximum).
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 18 months with no racking using a proportion of 40% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a very delicate touch of oak to the wine.
Bottling
Bottling: the wine was not fined but was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in March 2016.
Vintage
2014, a year for whites
The weather this year – with a rainy summer and wonderfully sunny September – was very promising for the whites. The Chardonnays presented a wonderful balance, while the reds were more about sophistication than opulence.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Tasting notes
with a very intense garnet red color, this wine opens with aromas of blackberries, black fruits, chocolate and a slight touch of smoke. This wine reveals itself on the very powerful palate. There are black fruits and light smokiness: A Premier Cru at the level of a Grand Cru, for sure.
