Price: $55.00
Sale Price: $45.99
* Not eligible for case discounts
Chris Cree MW - Overall Score: 96 Points
Why is this so unbelievably good? Roncevie is a lieu-dit (single vineyard site) that was until 1964 in the appellation of Gevrey-Chambertin Villages, but today only half is designated as Gevrey Villages. The other part was declassified purely for political reasons. Additionally, this parcel is just a stone’s throw from the Grand Cru Griottes-Chambertin.
The vines are 60+ years old, in their sweet spot with naturally low yields delivering amazing fruit, are organically farmed, and plowed by horse. Fermentations are with indigenous yeast, and the wine is aged in barrel (5% new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The result is a sexy, deep, dark Bourgogne Rouge that drinks well above its humble classification. Quite simply it’s Gevrey Chambertin quality in a Bourgogne Rouge bottle, AND at a Bourgogne Rouge price! Try this and see why this is one of my favorite Burgundy producers!
About Domaine Arlaud – The Domaine began during World War II, when Joseph Arlaud married Renée Amiot, who came from a historic Burgundian family. Part of the couple’s wedding gifts were parcels of land in the Côtes de Nuits, centered around the top crus of Morey St. Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin. Joseph’s son, Hervé Arlaud, took over the estate in 1982 and expanded the domaine with more purchases of prime vineyards, mostly in their home village of Morey St. Denis.
Hevré’s son Cyprien, who in the last ten years, took over as one of the most exciting growers in all of France in 1997. In 1997 he began the conversion of the estate to biodynamics (certified in 2014). He also began using horses to plough his vineyards in order to keep the soils as healthy and alive as possible, without the compaction that can come with the use of tractors. His sister Bertille has become one of the most important trainers of horses for plowing in all of France, providing her services for many top estates across the country. The results from this intense care for the vines became evident very quickly, with wines that spoke of terroir in the clearest of voices.
In the cellar, intervention is kept to an absolute minimum. new wood to zero on the Bourgogne and 15-30% on the rest of the lineup. Partial whole clusters are used on the upper level wines (maximum 30%) purely depending on the nature of the vintage. Their cellar in Morey St. Denis is one of the coldest in the Côtes de Nuits, helping Cyprien pursue a slow, non-interventionist vinification, with minimal use of SO2. All of his wines are also bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Cheers! Chris Cree, MW
.png)
|
