Les Cras
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Michele & Patrice Rion,
For laying down,
From the village part of the vineyard, this is a lovely, even, fresh mid-purple with a sensual, stylish, classical Chambolle nose. The wine is tightly knit on the palate with good acidity, but it is the fruit which really stands out. Very long and lovely. Drink 2021-2028.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
With more than 35 vintages under his belt, Patrice Rion considers that 2015 is the finest of his career, offering elegance, acidity and persistence. They began picking on 5th September and finished before the rain which arrived the following weekend. The only sorting that needed doing was to remove any dried-out berries. The yields were acceptable, just 10 percent down in volume on the previous vintage. Unusually, Patrice and his son Maxime have used some whole bunches on certain cuvées, notably the Clos des Argillières and Clos St Marc.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
With more than 35 vintages under his belt, Patrice Rion considers that 2015 is the finest of his career, offering elegance, acidity and persistence. They began picking on 5th September and finished before the rain which arrived the following weekend. The only sorting that needed doing was to remove any dried-out berries. The yields were acceptable, just 10 percent down in volume on the previous vintage. Unusually, Patrice and his son Maxime have used some whole bunches on certain cuvées, notably the Clos des Argillières and Clos St Marc.
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod,
For laying down,
A medium dense purple, this has a heavenly perfumed bouquet. With some bilberry and oak, it is nicely balanced. The oak is quite prominent at first on the palate but then the fruit takes over and fills the middle and back of the mouth. There is a touch of salinity to keep it fresh, while the fruit completely covers the bone structure. Drink 2023-2033.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began here on 4th September and took five days in incredibly easy conditions. The thick skins on the grapes and the ease with which the colour emerged meant that it was important not to go chasing the tannins, according to Ghislaine, so she used pumping over rather than punching down. All bunches were de-stemmed as usual. The crop is, once again, slightly on the small side.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Picking began here on 4th September and took five days in incredibly easy conditions. The thick skins on the grapes and the ease with which the colour emerged meant that it was important not to go chasing the tannins, according to Ghislaine, so she used pumping over rather than punching down. All bunches were de-stemmed as usual. The crop is, once again, slightly on the small side.
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod,
Ready, but will improve,
This deep purple, star-bright wine is just as intense as the other cuvées but with a fresh acidity at the back of the palate. Power is in evidence, but also length and a fine sense of style.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Ghislaine Barthod harvested her small crop, 35% to 40% down on 2009, from 24th September over 5 days. She feels that the wines are riper than 2002, our suggestion for a comparable vintage. We tasted on a day shrouded in mist when everything seemed dank and dour, so it is more than likely that Ghislaine’s wines will turn out more lively and fragrant than reported below, when the structure appeared to dominate.
Michele & Patrice Rion,
For laying down,
The frosts in Chambolle came with a cold wind, which is why the vineyards open to the combe suffered most. Rion’s higher Cras non-Premier Cru vineyard escaped, to a degree, and Patrice has eight barrels, against 11 last year. A beautiful Chambolle, this is creamy, rich and lush in texture, with strawberry and bilberry fruits. Very succulent. Drink 2021-2028.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer
Patrice Rion and his wife Michèle began their own small domaine in 1990 with just two wines, Bourgogne Rouge, Les Bons Bâtons and Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras, while Patrice was still working as winemaker with his family at Domaine Daniel Rion. In 2000 Patrice left the family business to develop his own estate further. Today most of the vineyards are in Nuits-St Georges and Chambolle-Musigny. Recent vintages have seen the increasing involvement of Patrice’s son Maxime. The Rion cellar is a bit emptier this year, partially because of the frost but also, more significantly, because their arrangement in Chambolle for Villages, Fuées, Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares has terminated, and 2015 was the last vintage of those lovely wines. Maxime Rion initially found the 2016s a little “monolithic” after fermentation, but they have discovered their terroir in barrel. The vintage shows more red fruit than black, with the fruit of frosted vineyards having more colour. The long, cool end of season reminds him of 1996 but, whereas that vintage is only starting to drink now, the 2016s will open up earlier. The estate also has a new wine, a Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits from the Dames Huguettes vineyard. It’s made from bought-in fruit, but chosen from an especially well-sited and tended vineyard.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer
Patrice Rion and his wife Michèle began their own small domaine in 1990 with just two wines, Bourgogne Rouge, Les Bons Bâtons and Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras, while Patrice was still working as winemaker with his family at Domaine Daniel Rion. In 2000 Patrice left the family business to develop his own estate further. Today most of the vineyards are in Nuits-St Georges and Chambolle-Musigny. Recent vintages have seen the increasing involvement of Patrice’s son Maxime. The Rion cellar is a bit emptier this year, partially because of the frost but also, more significantly, because their arrangement in Chambolle for Villages, Fuées, Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares has terminated, and 2015 was the last vintage of those lovely wines. Maxime Rion initially found the 2016s a little “monolithic” after fermentation, but they have discovered their terroir in barrel. The vintage shows more red fruit than black, with the fruit of frosted vineyards having more colour. The long, cool end of season reminds him of 1996 but, whereas that vintage is only starting to drink now, the 2016s will open up earlier. The estate also has a new wine, a Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits from the Dames Huguettes vineyard. It’s made from bought-in fruit, but chosen from an especially well-sited and tended vineyard.
Domaine Ghislaine Barthod,
For laying down,
The best bit of Les Cras is classified as Premier Cru and is at the same height as Bonnes-Mares, but facing more towards the combe, and its colder air. The wine is highly perfumed and then the cool stone structure asserts itself. Nevertheless a sunny, smiling Cras this year. Drink 2022-2028.
Ghislaine Barthod’s domaine originated in the 1920s with Marcel Noëllat whose daughter married Gaston Barthod, a soldier stationed in Dijon who came to buy some wine and got the girl as well. He gave up military life for the vineyards in 1960. His daughter, Ghislaine, and her partner Louis Boillot bought their current premises overlooking Premier Cru Les Feusselottes in 1986. Though they share the team who work the vineyards, the vinification and commercial aspects of their businesses are kept completely separate. The domaine has an incomparable range of ChambolleMusigny terroirs, with eight separate Premier Cru bottlings.
Given the carnage here last year, one could have been concerned that yields might have been high, but these worries were needless. Although there was a certain amount of green harvesting on the younger vines, the old vines (of which there are lots here), if properly pruned and with excess buds eliminated, regulated themselves to reasonable yields well below 50hl/ha. The harvest started on 3rd September and was completed in eight days, with everything beautifully healthy. For Ghislaine, 2016 was about energy; 2017 is about purity.
Ghislaine Barthod’s domaine originated in the 1920s with Marcel Noëllat whose daughter married Gaston Barthod, a soldier stationed in Dijon who came to buy some wine and got the girl as well. He gave up military life for the vineyards in 1960. His daughter, Ghislaine, and her partner Louis Boillot bought their current premises overlooking Premier Cru Les Feusselottes in 1986. Though they share the team who work the vineyards, the vinification and commercial aspects of their businesses are kept completely separate. The domaine has an incomparable range of ChambolleMusigny terroirs, with eight separate Premier Cru bottlings.
Given the carnage here last year, one could have been concerned that yields might have been high, but these worries were needless. Although there was a certain amount of green harvesting on the younger vines, the old vines (of which there are lots here), if properly pruned and with excess buds eliminated, regulated themselves to reasonable yields well below 50hl/ha. The harvest started on 3rd September and was completed in eight days, with everything beautifully healthy. For Ghislaine, 2016 was about energy; 2017 is about purity.
Michele & Patrice Rion,
Ready, but will improve,
Most Exciting Value Red
Often among my favourite producers, Patrice Rion's 2008s didn't disappoint. The Chambolle, Les Cras is all that it should be with silky red summer fruits, a touch of cloves and a very well balanced structure.
(Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Sales Advisor)
Delightful dark red fruit greets the nose, while the palate of this wine is balanced, elegant and blessed with a fine backbone. This is up to the Rions’ usually high standard for Les Cras.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)
Often among my favourite producers, Patrice Rion's 2008s didn't disappoint. The Chambolle, Les Cras is all that it should be with silky red summer fruits, a touch of cloves and a very well balanced structure.
(Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Sales Advisor)
Delightful dark red fruit greets the nose, while the palate of this wine is balanced, elegant and blessed with a fine backbone. This is up to the Rions’ usually high standard for Les Cras.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)
Showing 1-17 out of 17 items
Patrice explains that the hard work they did at the start of the year in pruning short and carrying out a severe de-budding, as well as a little green harvesting on younger vines, paid dividends in terms of avoiding excessive yields and consequent dilution. The dry and warm conditions towards the end of the season allowed them the luxury of choosing when to harvest, in fact beginning on 9th September. Patrice compares the vintage to 1979 and 1989, highlighting the wines’ impeccable balance and freshness (the latter he prefers over power) as particular strengths. Our notes indicate whether the wines are domaine or négoce bottlings.