2017 Morey-St Denis, Domaine Henri & Philippe Jouan, Burgundy

Domaine Henri Jouan

Domaine Henri Jouan, now labelled as Philippe Jouan, is a small domaine located on a side street in Morey-St-Denis, a village in the Burgundy wine region of France.

The estate has a rich family history rooted in winemaking, with Philippe Jouan's great-grandfather being a barrel cooper and his grandfather involved in wine distribution. The vines for the Domaine were acquired from Philippe's grandmother's side of the family, the Noirot family.

Although the Domaine is relatively small, spanning only three hectares, it has gained recognition over the years. Philippe's father played a significant role in putting the Domaine on the map, albeit discreetly.

Previously, a significant portion of the grapes were sold in bulk to a distinguished négociant, but recently they have expanded their winery and can retain more wine for their own production. However, they still maintain a relationship with their long-term merchant customer, with whom they have collaborated for 65 years across generations.

The Domaine values gentle pressing to avoid extracting complex tannins in winemaking practices. Philippe follows his father's approach of destemming the grapes but has introduced a variation by adding back a small proportion (up to 10%) of the stems. They have also made some vineyard adjustments, reducing treatments and implementing strategic de-leafing on the north side to inhibit oidium, a fungal disease.

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.