Nicolas Potel has retained the majority of his regular contracts in 2012, though a couple are missing after the hail. Like everybody else, he has had to pay more for his grapes though, especially at the top end of the hierarchy. But as ever there are some delicious wines in the range, and at the lower end the prices are thoroughly competitive.

Nicholas feels that the saving grace of the 2013 vintage was the amount of small berries caused by millerandage. He has opted for minimum extraction but longish cuvaison. The white wines have not been stirred because they were rich enough naturally. They are expected to be bottled in December and will all be under DIAM corks, apart from the Grands Crus. The reds will be bottled during February.

The harvest began here on 5th October, with acceptable yields in the Côte de Nuits. Mathieu and his father opted for a shorter vinification time this year, with minimal punching down. They do feel though that the wines can support a little more new wood.

 

The harvest began here on 5th October, with acceptable yields in the Côte de Nuits. Mathieu and his father opted for a shorter vinification time this year, with minimal punching down. They do feel though that the wines can support a little more new wood.
 

Sébastien Cathiard began his second vintage in charge on 22nd September. He has made approximately the same volume of wine in 2012 as 2011, except in the Nuits-St Georges vineyards, but, alas, 2013 will be even less. There are no significant changes to his father’s style, except some progress towards organic viticulture. Sébastien currently uses 2/3 new wood for village wines and 100% for most Premiers Crus. The grapes are entirely de-stemmed before vinification. Note how many cuvées have the benefit of old vines. but fabulous quality.

Thibault’s two domaines, based in Moulin à Vent and Nuits-St Georges, both returned paltry yields of 16 hl/ha in 2012. Among the Côte d’Or appellations, the Hautes Côtes, Nuits and Gevrey-Chambertin suffered in particular. All of which is a great shame, given the quality of the wines which have been made. Even where Thibault purchases grapes (Aloxe-Corton and Chambolle- Musigny), Thibault makes the major decisions in the vineyard management. His own vines are farmed biodynamically, with ploughing by horse.

Etienne Grivot describes his 2012s as having glamour on top of the sophistication of 2010. He notes also the generosity of fruit married to perfect acidity in 2012. It was no hardship tasting our way through his range. One minor added sophistication in the Grivot cellar is an amendment to his barrel regime – he now specifies an extra long chauffe to his barrels, though without going beyond his usual medium toast. High prices but fabulous quality.

2010 is the first vintage to be made in the new cuvérie at this domaine, but it will be the last that is vinified by Sylvain Cathiard himself, he is handing over responsibility to his son Sébastien in 2011. The harvest began on 25th September with volumes just a little down compared to previous years, but as ever, Sylvain and his son have produced a most seductive range of wines.

2010 is the first vintage to be made in the new cuvrie at this domaine, but it will be the last that is vinified by Sylvain Cathiard himself, he is handing over responsibility to his son Sbastien in 2011. The harvest began on 25th September with volumes just a little down compared to previous years, but as ever, Sylvain and his son have produced a most seductive range of wines.