2018 is an early-harvest vintage marked by a spring and summer that were very hot and dry, resulting in very complete ripeness and perfectly healthy grapes.
After a relatively mild and rainy winter 2017-2018, the cool, damp start of spring forecast a rather late harvest. The return of hot weather in April changed all that and the vines then set off growing very rapidly through to the end of summer. At the domain, the whole team had to double their efforts to keep up with the very active vine growth. Vine-flowering passed off perfectly from end May, announcing a harvest at the very beginning of September. The rainfall shortage in spring and summer did not pose a major problem for our vines, probably thanks to water reserves accumulated during the winter. Rain storms in the month of July allowed the vines to reach perfect ripeness at the beginning of September. Unfortunately, the storms on 3rd and 15th July provoked outbreaks of hail that seriously impacted on our sector of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (average loss of crop at 50%) and our parcel of ‘Les Chaliots’ located in Nuits-Saint-Georges (loss of around 30%).
We began harvesting on 4th September on the ‘Côte’ and finished on 17th September in the Hautes-Côtes. Grape healthiness was absolutely perfect and sorting was virtually unnecessary. Only the crop from hail-damaged parcels had to be very carefully sorted and we were lucky to be able to use an optical grape sorter to remove grapes damaged by hail.
This relatively early date of harvest and the perfect grape healthiness led to production of wines of great purity with beautiful freshness and bursting with fruit. The vintage already promises to be a very good one for laying down.
In conclusion, 2018 is a vintage full of sunshine that gave seductive, pure wines with silky tannic structure and lovely acidity, signs that the most patient wine lovers will be rewarded.
The weather profile of this vintage brings it close to vintages 2003 and 2009.
However, there is good freshness and richness to the caressing and solidly concentrated middle weight flavors that are perhaps a bit less mineral-driven than usual on the generously proportioned and reasonably refreshing finish.
Lemony, seductive, touch of crystallised fruit. Savoury on the finish. A good balance.
An attractively fresh and bright nose offers up notes of pretty red fruits, especially red cherry and raspberry, along with soft wood and earth influences. There is good volume and richness to the nicely vibrant flavors that possess a lovely mid-palate texture that contrasts somewhat with the moderately rustic and ever-so-mildly drying finale.
It is red fruit and juicy. Fresh. Bright. Slightly spicy. Soft tannins.
A slightly darker fruit profile is present on the ripe aromas that include spice and warm earth. The vibrant medium weight flavors possess a slightly finer mouthfeel before culminating in a similar finish that is somewhat warm and drying finish though here it is less evident.
Not as deeply coloured as their Fontaine Saint MarRn – but not far behind. A little less aromaRc impact than that wine too, but still there’s a beautiful floral component the darker-coloured fruit here. Open and fresh – a lovely open and energetic character to this wine. A little more herbed and saline in the finish – but long and interesting. Simply excellent wine.
Blueberry aroma. Supple tannins. Sweet and bright. Good energy. I like this a lot.
Again, lots of depth to the colour. The nose is much higher-toned, of dark fruit and almost suggesting volatility – I don’t find delicate flowers here. Mouth-filling, sweeter. The texture modestly accented by the ripe tannin. It’s a super finish – rather complex and textural. Overall a riper and more 2018 Côte d’Or style of presentation. I much prefer the other two wines presented by this domaine.
A top note of menthol is present on the spicier aromas of dark raspberry and cherry. The succulent, energetic and very round flavors exude a subtle minerality on the lingering if again slightly drying finish that my projected range assumes will likely harmonize with a year or two of bottle age.
It is a parcel which is quite steep and looking south, so riper but less acidity. Dark fruit. Rich, spicy. Juicy. Slightly burly tannin.
The nose is still redolent of malolactic aromas and impossible to read in this condition. However, there is good freshness and richness to the caressing and solidly concentrated middle weight flavors that are perhaps a bit less mineral-driven than usual on the generously proportioned and reasonably refreshing finish.
Deeper coloured – more the 2018 vernacular of colour here. Directly, this is an impressive nose of darker fruit and much floral complexity. More structural in shape, the fruit favours are higher-toned, darker and floral inflected. There’s a little youth to this wine – it will certainly be better with a little patience but this is already a great drink for a Bourgogne – fresh, complex and deliciously flavoured – a great, open, florality in the finish too. Bravo!
Floral notes, a little vegetal on the nose, which precede a slender, tight, austere palate. The profile is a little harsh, dry on the finish. Fairly simple wine at this point.14/20
Slightly more refined aroma. Straight, elegant. This has bite and piquancy. A refreshing snap.
Gold medal
Brilliant ruby color. Fresh and spicy nose, offering beautiful aromas of red and black fruits and liquorice, mineral notes. Lively and juicy palate, beautiful expression of Pinot Noir with aromas of Morello cherry and prune. Crunchy tannins and a nice minerality that stays on the palate.
Intense aromas of graphite, black cherry and blackberry, with a light vegetal element, greet the senses in this smooth red, which is packed with ripe black fruit flavors, shaded by spice and leafy underbrush accents.
The 4ha, east-facing lieu-dit of Fontaine Saint Martin has been a monopole from 2014. Firm textured, with wild-berry characters this still needs a little time to soften but has very good potential. A fine advert for the refreshing, lively wines coming from the Hautes-Côtes.
Some good perfume aromatics here along with dark fruit. There is a lightness of touch to the fruit, quite elegant in style. Nice and focused and well put together.
An appealingly spicy nose offers up a mélange of black pinot fruit, exotic Asian tea, violet and an interesting hint of dried tangerine peel. There is both fine volume and intensity to the nicely complex medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by firm and ever-so-mildly edgy tannins though in this case my sense is that they could very well round out in time.
Succulent. Compact. Quite punchy. plentiful tannins. Aromatic finish. 16,65
This is quite deeply colored with a firmly reduced nose that is enough to mask the fruit today. Otherwise there is impressive richness, size and weight to the succulent medium weight flavors that are blessed with copious amounts of dry extract and riper tannins on the powerful finish. This is a big Chambolle villages that isn’t elegant but it is impressive in its fashion.
Sweet raspberries, juicy. This is more retarded as just finished its MLF. Rounded body and good concentration. Plentiful ripe tannins.. aromatic finish. Excellent potential. 17
(…) Firm, drying tannins, though their texture is quite fine and the length of black fruit and stony minerality is there.15
A moderate dollop of toasty wood sets off the distinctly earthy black pinot fruit aromas that are trimmed in hints of the sauvage. There is more volume and power to the medium-bodied flavors that possess reasonably good depth though the finish reveals a touch of dryness that isn’t fatal but it’s nonetheless enough to cut the finish somewhat short.
Barrel tasting. Sweet earth, black cherry and nutmeg aromas. Elegantly feminine on the palate that was slightly firm. 92/100
Plump and juicy. Soft tannins. Rounded. Slight spice. generous and inviting. 16.5
90 points
Beautiful bright red, still blatantly youthful. The nose offers up chiselled fruit with a subtle smoky, toast note after airing. Marvellously textured, fresh and aromatically expressive palate. The finish is already very long. Shows promise.
Four plots traditionally go into the composition of this cuvée. All are located north of the commune of Nuits, on the Vosne side. The wine is the synthesis between the generally pronounced structure of the typical cuvées of the appellation and the elegance attributed to the Vosne-Romanée. In the end, an expressive 2018 (raspberry, grilled oak) that is both well-structured, round and fine.
Moderate reduction presently dominates the underlying fruit though there is good verve to the more finely detailed and textured flavors…
Barrel tasting. Expressively fragrant on the floral aroma. Tannic but detailed, with an austere but juicy finish. 93/100
It is spicy Red ripe fruit. Slightly smoky. Tannins maybe not as sweet as expected, little dry on the finish. This can be adjusted with some fining. 15.5 for now
A cool, spicy and airy nose is comprised by notes of red and dark currant, earth and a hint of lavender. The racy, fresh and refined middle weight flavors possess good delineation as well as ample minerality on the better balanced finale though there is still a trace of asperity.
Barrel tasting. Dense and spicy aromas. A perfumed finish. 90/100
Rather floral. Silky and pure. Flows lightly and elegantly across the palate. Light mineral finish.16,75
A whiff of herbal tea sits atop the pretty red fruit aromas, and in particular red cherry, along with hints of earth and underbrush. There is once again very good volume to the punchy and reasonably well-detailed medium-bodied flavors that exude a refreshing salinity on the powerful, firm and moderately rustic finale that is presently fairly chewy.
More oak showing now. Rich and juicy. Splashing fruit. Generous of tannins. Ripe. Quite sumptuous for NSG. 17,5
Mild reduction blurs the nuance of what appears to be very ripe fruit though timid spice notes do peek through. The sensation of elevated ripeness is confirmed by the palate with its generously proportioned and powerful yet sleek flavors that display ample minerality on the robust bitter cherry pit-inflected finish that is also on the grippy side.
A touch of rose petals, a hint of bacon fat and red fruit. Firm, chalky tannins. Fair length. The best of this set. 16
Glossy ripe aroma. rich, but reserved. Energy and grip. Plentiful ripe, but firmly structural tannins. Long finish. Very good ageing potential in the concentration and vigour. 18.65
This too displays just enough reduction to blur the underlying detail of the nose. Otherwise there is an elegant and seductive inner mouth perfume to the velvet-textured middle weight flavors that evidence focused power on the equally grippy finish that is just a bit better balanced.
Very attractive nose, lots of dark fruit with some spice, nutmeg and a herbal edge. Redcurrant and spice and tight tannins at the moment. Well-proportioned and a long clean layered finish. 17+
Barrel tasting with Pierre Gros. Dark fruits (mostly black plum) suffused the nose laced with violet, sweet spices, cola, black chocolate and savoury-mineral. Beautifully textured, with attractive precision and brightness enhanced by stunningly keen acid that concluded in a polished and vivid finish that had a tint of salinity. 94
Refined. Brightness and energy. the tannins has slight snap. Elegant finish. 18.55
93 points
Deep garnet, sparkling color. Rich and intense bouquet, raspberry and blackcurrant, some very sweet spices and touches of leather on the second nose. Racy, round palate, a spring freshness with the sensation of biting into small red fruits. A very harmonious wine with sensual tannins, to be allowed to develop in the cellar for a few years Final full of promises.
95 Points – Jasper Morris
Pretty, medium-deep red in colour, offering a perfumed bouquet in a light but classy style. Plenty of finesse here, confirming the Clos in its 1er Cru status, fine and tensile, with additional energy at the back.
The supple and very rounded medium weight plus flavors are, somewhat surprisingly, almost easy-going though the finish tightens up
Sweet and compact. Breadth. Density. Layering. Power and intensity. Smooth tannins. Rich textural. 19
A beguiling red that draws you in with its haunting perfume of black cherry, blackberry, flowers and spice. The toasty oak is more prominent on the palate, yet all of the components are well-proportioned, with a vein of mineral opening on the long aftertaste. An impressive display of finesse and power. 96 points