Trilogie en Côte de Nuits, at the Château de Clos Vougeot

Report from the Trilogie en Côte de Nuits tasting event, Monday 11 March 2019

For the new edition of "Trilogie en Côte de Nuits", the producers from the Burgundy appellations of Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vosne-Romanée and Vougeot presented us with the Burgundy 2017 vintage. This vintage was marked by a cold winter and a particularly warm spring, leading to an early budbreak as in 2011. Significant frost risks threatened winemakers at the end of April. Ultimately, the harvest was both high in quality and quantity. The year 2017 allowed for a return to a normal harvest and stands among the charming vintages! 

The team at Vins & Millésimes attended this professional tasting to discover the red wines of several winemakers, in order to offer you the finest selection of great Burgundy wines. With nearly a hundred Burgundian estates present and an average of 4 "climats" per hub, we had to select a few wines from a handful of these talented winemakers:

Arnoux Lachaux - Vosne-Romanée

This estate, born from the union of Pascal Lachaux and Florence Lachaux, daughter of Robert Arnoux, has become indispensable in Burgundy. The vines are spread across 14.5 ha, covering 15 appellations in the Côte de Nuits, with a fine selection of premiers and grands crus, notably Echezeaux, Clos Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots and Romanée Saint-Vivant.

• Bourgogne Pinot Fin 2017 : this blend of Pinot Noir from the villages of Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges, with its woody and fruity notes, slightly tannic, can be kept for several years to fully reveal itself.
• Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2017 : Built for ageing, this Grand Cru delivers a bouquet of rich and complex aromas of red fruits and plums, over a beautiful tannic structure.
• Échezeaux Grand Cru 2017: a brilliant Grand Cru that has everything of a truly great wine: finesse, depth, elegance and richness.

> Discover our selection of wines from the Domaine Arnoux Lachaux

Ghislaine Barthod - Chambolle-Musigny

This 6.5 ha Burgundian estate has made Burgundy premier crus its speciality. Thanks to a particularly remarkable 1998 vintage, Ghislaine Barthod distinguished herself for her characterful wines, full of finesse, with a masterful tannin extraction.

• Bourgogne 2017 : intense and complex nose, the tannins are very supple, with a tart finish. This wine is all roundness and texture, very pleasant to drink.
• Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Aux Beaux-Bruns 2017: a wide-open, indulgent nose with aromas of fresh fruits and juicy cherries; the tannins are of great finesse and the finish is airy.
• Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Les Cras 2017 : this Chambolle-Musigny is a nectar of red fruits that needs time to express itself. The tannins are well integrated and the palate is pure and elegant.

> Discover our selection of wines from the Domaine Ghislaine Barthod

Bruno Clavelier - Vosne-Romanée

A reference estate in Burgundian biodynamic viticulture, this winemaker cultivates Pinot Noir across 6.5 ha of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, in Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Aloxe-Corton and of course Vosne-Romanée. With 16 cuvées produced, the estate has the distinctive feature of producing a unique cuvée per lieu-dit for each of its appellations in Vosne-Romanée.

• Vosne-Romanée Les Hautes Maizieres 2017: spicy nose with notes of ripe fruits (black cherries), a full-bodied and powerful palate. The pronounced tannins demonstrate an ageing potential of at least 7 to 10 years.
• Vosne-Romanée 1^er Cru Les Beaux Monts 2017: a standout among these Vosne-Romanée wines, elegance and balance are very much present, with a subtle, indulgent and structured palate.
• Vosne-Romanée La Combe Brûlée 2017 : a wine all about texture, with softer and more integrated tannins. The palate is harmonious, with restrained acidity.

> Discover our selection of wines from the Domaine Bruno Clavelier

Anne Gros - Vosne-Romanée

Thanks to demanding viticulture across 6.5 ha and a profound respect for the terroirs, Anne Gros's wines have made their mark in Burgundy. Their grand cru vines are among the oldest in Burgundy. Beyond the grands crus, each plot is a single block and extremely well situated and tended: their Chambolle-Musigny is adjacent to the Musigny Grand Cru, while their Vosne-Romanée is directly adjoining the Richebourg Grand Cru. The Gros family also owns the Gros Frère et Sœur estate, the entity formed by the Domaine Jean Gros and Domaine Michel Gros, and the Domaine A. F. Gros.

• Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux 2017 : the nose presents aromas of black fruits and peppery notes. The palate is frank, juicy and slightly tart.
• Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Grand Maupertui 2017 : great amplitude on the palate. The aromas range from black fruits (cherries, blackcurrant, plum) to spices (pepper, liquorice, nutmeg...). The almost austere power of this wine calls for cellaring.
• Richebourg Grand Cru 2017 : the balance between tannins and acidity is perfect — stunning in this young wine built for ageing. The palate is dense and sensual. The aromatic profile is incredibly complex, featuring black fruits and spices with a floral finish (peony, rose, violet).

> Discover our selection of wines from the Domaine Anne Gros