2016: the nice surprise despite the frost
Burgundians love stories that end well! That of 2016 will be remembered for a long time. The wines of this vintage are excellent, despite the vagaries of the weather which battered the vines and men during the campaign. One year after the harvest, there is no longer any doubt that 2016, if it is small in quantity, is a great vintage in terms of its quality.
After a mild winter, there was nothing to suggest that spring would be marked by the unexpected drop of polar cold, which reached the vineyard at the end of April and caused an episode of frost unprecedented by its geographical scope. One-off episodes of hail, in the Mâconnais and the north of the vineyard, once again reduce the harvest potential. The extraordinary rainfall in spring also complicates work in the vines.
Fortunately, June sees the return of the sun and the heat. The vine resumes its cycle. Flowering, fruit set and maturation go smoothly, also thanks to a beautiful late season. The harvest begins in the second half of September.
The Côte Chalonnaise
The Côte Chalonnaise is doing well and in particular Mercurey. White wines present aromas of ripe fruit and dried fruit (apricots, citrus fruits and almonds). On the palate, they are dense and fleshy, their hold and length are impressive.
The hot and dry summer allowed optimal maturity to be reached. The vintage is excellent even if the yields are not there. The wines are of great aromatic richness: alongside small red fruits and black berries appear some notes of stone fruits (cherry, plum) and spices. The palate is corpulent and dense, leaning on ripe and silky tannins but also on a nice fresh acidity. The length in the mouth is remarkable.
The Côte de Beaune
The 2016 Chardonnay de la Côte de Beaune are remarkable: they are characterized by excellent balance. The late maturity had a positive effect on the freshness, which is one of the key elements of this vintage. The nose with aromas of fresh fruit, flowers and spices are of great elegance and great intensity. The palate is full-bodied, harmonious and fleshy. Perfectly structured, it stands out with an impressive length and a most pleasant finish.
The red wines produced in the Côte de Beaune offer all the characteristic signs of very good years: wines of great aromatic intensity and great purity. Floral and fruity notes mingle with spicy and empyreumatic notes. The perfectly balanced palate is elegantly structured and very fresh. The length is impressive.