Gevrey-Chambertin
En Champs Bio 2014
The name has prestigious overtones, and the place itself is about as noble as they come. To say the least, Gevrey-Chambertin is where the the real Burgundy Grands Crus begin…
Origin
Gevrey-Chambertin is a large town located at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits. It boasts one of the largest surface areas under vine with no fewer than 330 hectares under production. The vines are planted at altitudes of between 240 and 280 metres. The soil is limestone-based with a high proportion of clay marlstones from the scree of the Combe de Lavaux, giving power and roundness to the wines.
"En Champs" is located north of the appellation, on the hillside of Brochon which produces some of the most beautiful Gevrey-Chambertin villages.
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: fairly lean and made up of sandy marls.
Orientation: East
Surface area under vine: 0.1621 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 45 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 90 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 20 September 2014.
The grapes 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 completely destemmed but not crushed (they were left whole) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration lasted a total of 22 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 16 months with no racking using a proportion of 35% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time for very delicate oaking.
Bottling
Bottling: the wine was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity.
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: from 8 to 15 years.
Tasting notes
With a bright ruby color, this wine reveals a nose with aromas of blackcurrant, small red fruits as well as spices and chocolate notes. The palate is very sweet and gourmand with tannins present but well melted.