2015 Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaux Monts, 1er Cru, Domaine Dujac, Burgundy
Critics reviews
William Kelley - 27/04/2018
About this WINE
Dujac
Jacques Seysses created Domaine Dujac in 1967 having decided to turn his passion into his vocation. He purchased, a somewhat rundown, Domaine Graillet in Morey-St Denis and quickly turned things around to make a showstopping debut with the 1969 vintage.
About Domaine Dujac
This is every bit the family business. Jacques’ wife Rosalind arrived from California to work the harvest and never left. They married in 1974 and today their sons Jeremy and Alec, together with Jeremy’s wife Diana, run the estate day to day. They remain under the watchful eye of their parents.
In the vineyard
Jacques first purchase was a small estate of 5ha, which today has grown to around 17ha. The jewels of the domaine are the seven plots in Grand Crus. Away from these exalted sites there are impeccable village vineyards and magnificent 1er crus, including Aux Combottes in Gevrey and Les Malconsorts in Vosne. Both of which are immediate neighbours of Grand Crus and produce extraordinary wines.
Sustainability
Jacques and Rosalind began running the vineyards according to the principles of lutte raisonée (where minimal chemicals are used) in 1987. Working consistently towards a more natural approach, in 2001 they experimented with organic viticulture in 4ha of their prime sites. Then adding biodynamic farming principles to the repertoire in 2003. They were so encouraged by the results in the bottle they made the switch to organic for the entire estate in 2008, earning certification in 2011. Their intensive work to create a natural and varied ecosystem is driven by their belief that the health of the soil is the key to unlocking great quality and producing more expressive wines.
In the winery
The evolution of the winemaking at Dujac has been guided by the principle that the largest imprint on the wines should be from the vineyards themselves. The approach is all about simplicity. The use of whole bunches in fermentation is a distinctive feature here and something for which Jacques has been a leading advocate. Jeremy feels that they add complexity and give silkier tannins, but they must be ripe so the approach is carefully adjusted according to the vintage.
In the winery they have sought to reduce manipulation wherever possible. After crushing the must is gravity fed into the cellar, avoiding the need for pumping which can exert too much force on the nascent wine. They have also been able to regulate alcohol and malolactic fermentations more precisely with improved temperature control. Dujac’s wines are not renowned as the most powerful and nor do they want them to be. These are wines of polished finesse and restraint, elegant aromatics, and depth of fruit. They are nothing short of beguiling.
Chorey-Lès-Beaune
Chorey-Lès-Beaune is a wine appellation (AOC) located just a short distance from the town of Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. It is part of the larger Côte de Beaune sub-region, known for producing some of the world’s most renowned and sought-after wines.
The primary grape varieties are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The reds are typically elegant and medium-bodied and exhibit the characteristic Burgundian flavours of red berries, cherries, and earthy notes. White wines are less common in this appellation but can be fresh, crisp, and mineral-driven.
Chorey-Lès-Beaune shares the same terroir characteristics as its more famous neighbours, such as Pommard and Beaune. The vineyards benefit from limestone-rich soils and a well-suited climate for producing high-quality grapes. The limestone content in the soil contributes to the wines’ minerality and complexity.
In Burgundy, appellations are classified into a hierarchical system based on the perceived quality of the vineyards. Chorey-Lès-Beaune is classified as a Village appellation, one step below Premier Cru and Grand Cru appellations in prestige. However, this does not mean that the wines are of lower quality; they can still be exceptional, and many wine enthusiasts seek out these wines for their value.
Like most Burgundy wines, red Chorey-Lès-Beaune wines pair well with a variety of dishes, including roast poultry, grilled salmon, and dishes featuring mushrooms. The whites, if available, can be enjoyed with seafood, poultry, and creamy sauces.
While Chorey-Lès-Beaune may not have the same level of recognition as some of its prestigious neighbours, it offers wine enthusiasts an opportunity to explore the Burgundian terroir and the classic grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a slightly more accessible and affordable way.
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
The 2015 Vosne-Romane 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts reveals a classic bouquet of wood smoke, game bird, cherries and rich soil, framed by a touch of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and ample, with good depth, juicy acids and a fine-grained chassis of tannins that asserts itself on the rather muscular finish. Served between the Bonnes Mares and Malconsorts, this Beaux Monts admirably held its own, but I may nonetheless be underrating it.
William Kelley - 27/04/2018
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