2011 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, Cuvée l'Estimée, Jean-Noël Gagnard
Critics reviews
Neal Martin - 29/08/2013
About this WINE
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
This wine is deliberately not deep in colour and exudes a lovely perfume, exciting bright fresh cherry fruit and some gravelly tannins behind from the old vines. A very approachable and extremely pleasing wine.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Though 2011 has the reputation of being a large vintage for white wines, this was not the case at Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, where many vineyards produced little more than 30 hl/ha. Caroline Gagnard has converted the vineyards to organic farming and the quality of the grapes is evident in this superb range of wines. As ever, this is an outstanding source of Chassagne-Montrachet.
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