Côtes de Nuits-Villages 2018
The connoisseur of authentic Burgundy wines is absolutely right to be interested in this appellation.
Origin
This recent appellation, introduced in 1964, covers 163 ha of which only 6 ha produce white wines. This wine is therefore highly original!! In the northern part of the appellation, some of the terroirs in the villages of Brochon and Fixin are able to bear this appellation, but it is in the southern part, beginning in Corgoloin (the frontier between the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits) that most of the vineyards are located.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: very limestone and hard from the Upper Balthonian.
Orientation: South/East
Surface area under vine: 0.46 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 36 hL/ha
Average age of the vine: 35 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 11 September 2018.
The grapes were handpicked and were sorted a first time in the vineyard and a second time when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: The whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels of 450L with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 10 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. 30% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: Oak of French origin toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: The wine was bentonite fined and very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in August 2019.
Number of bottles: 2,209.
Vintage
2018, abundance and excellence
After a winter that was almost too mild, the vintage was notable for two contrasting periods. Spring was sunny and totally devoid of frost, despite some localized episodes of hail, which had major impact on certain plots on the Côte de Nuits, which were hit in June. Then the summer was dry and hot, blocking the ripening process in places. Picking began early, with exceptionally abundant fruit in tip-top condition, offering the potential for some very fine wines.
Ageing potential: from 4 to 7 years.
Tasting notes
The color is pale gold. The nose will seduce you with its aromas of pears, white flowers associated with some spices. On the palate, this supple and gourmet wine reveals a tangy frame.
