Présentation du millésime 2003

Millésime de challenges. Dès le passage de la fleur de la vigne, nous savions que l'année allait être précoce. La luminosité des mois de mai, juin, juillet et août a encore amplifié ce phénomène et nos premières mesures de maturité mi-août nous ont incité à nous organiser rapidement pour préparer ces vendanges hors du commun. Les vendanges ont commencé le 23 Août. Nous avons tout mis en œuvre pour refroidir les raisins avant la mise en cuve. Nos vendangeurs ont commencé tôt le matin.

Le transport de la récolte a été effectué par des camions frigorifiques. Les raisins, vendangés à la caisse ont été descendus en cave climatisée. L'état sanitaire était excellent, les températures maîtrisées, l'acidité préservée, il ne nous restait plus qu'à extraire délicatement la couleur et les arômes de ce millésime.

Caractéristiques du millésime 2003

Les vins rouges présentent des robes intenses aux couleurs soutenues. Leurs nez sont sur les fruits rouges et noirs et certains composent avec des notes florales. Grâce à l'élevage sous bois, les tannins puissants dans leur jeunesse se sont affinés, superbement arrondis et ont gagné en élégance. Ces vins charnus et inhabituels par l'ampleur de leur texture se différencient avec aisance et expriment leur terroir avec exubérance.

Les vins blancs sont intenses et puissants: ils sont d'une grande richesse aromatique alliant fruité et minéralité. Malgré les chaleurs de l'été, ils gardent pour le millésime 2003 beaucoup de fraîcheur et un niveau d'acidité satisfaisant  : ils présentent un bon équilibre.

Presentation of "Millésime 2004" : back to Classism

We first thought 2004 vintage would be easier than in 2003 to work on.

But, as blossoming time came, we took conscience 2004 would require more endeavours. Actually, the flowering began in June, and at last two or three weeks, depending of the fields. This meant a dissimilar maturity from a parcel to another one, heterogeneity between vine plants, between bunches, and even inside a bunch.

Then summer 2004 monopolized our energy. We took care about the ideal treatement against vine plants 's diseases, such as mildew and "ïodium". Thanks to both our attention and the treatment, we had grappes without any "ïodium" and intact leaves until vintage season came in each and every parcel. In august, we went three times among the vine plants to cut off the unmature.

Thanks to the gathering we have always done in a manual way at the Domaine, we can efficiently sort out the low quality grapes.

After fermentation, wines had a rather high malic acidity, though grappes had a long period of maturation (more than 100 days, 106 according to our notes). The raise of this wine was a tumultuous youth : Malolactic fermentations took a long time to occur. Nevertheless, thanks to this, wines were enriched by their stay on the sediments, and colors stabilized well. We carefully seperated the low quality sediments from the good wine. A little filtration was beneficial.

Once youth was over, we had then discovered, with a lot of happiness, well balanced wines, fresh, with a pleasant acidity, a bit sweet, with an elegant structure, slender, distinghished.
The most obvious flavours are redcurrant, griotte, red fruits coulis, with, behind, tastes of blackcurrant, cannella, and, deeper, vanishing spices. Flavours are clean and delicate, Tannins are wraped, and the acidity allows to keep that wine in your cellar from four to seven years.

We are proud taking so much care of this millésime, from the early grapes to the moment we put the wine in the bottles.

Exceptionnally, we only realize now all the endeavours that were necessary for such a great result. We now can introduce it to you, in all serenity, while we are putting the wine in the last bottles.

Presentation of "Millésime 2005"

It all begun with the best signs of quality : a peacefull, sunny and dry summer allowed the vine to give beautiful grappes in Sptember with the best sanitary conditions. Absolutely safe.

Grape harvest has been done right on time at the best maturity, parcel after par parcel, without any compromise or hurry, according to the growth on each specific piece of land.

The quality of the grappes was perfect : we only had to take off few dead leaves before taking them to the wine press. Grains were full of sugars, acidity showing a good sign of maturity. Thanks to the thick skin, the quantity of Polyphenols was very important, a good promise for lots of tastes, tannins and colors.

With lots of care, we did our best to protect this beautiful matter and its geedy, fruity tastes. We took care especially for racking, watching the transformation of the wine with malo-lactic fermentations. Some of the precious liquids were racked later than others, because they needed to wait a little on the sediments to reach their top.

About red wines, this 2005 vintage offers a deep and large taste : tannins are ripe, fresh fruits red and black are mixed with discrete spices and sometimes a little taste of chocolate or cocoa comes to mouth. Acidity is there, of course, but well - integrated in the mix. Those tastes were tempered until then, they now need years to mix each other and give you their best.

Just before putting the precious liquid in bottles, we did a tasting on representative samples of different barrels. Those mixes already let us having a glimpse of very good sets, taking all their space, with a lot of assurance, generous about tastes and matters, with a gentle but solid architecture.

About white wines, they are precise and generous, fruity and already pleasant to drink. For « Hautes Côtes » Bourgogne, while bottling them, we were looking for more elegance and a clearer liquid.