Auxey-Duresses 2018
Over the years, Auxey-Duresses in the Côte de Beaune has quietly made a name for itself with quality wines that rival the other great white wines from the “Golden Triangle”: Meursault, Chassagne and Puligny …
Origin
Nestled between the two famed villages of Volnay and Meursault, Auxey-Duresses has only 150 ha of vines, which has always meant that this appellation has remained out of the limelight. Today, however, it offers some of the Côte’s best value for the money.
Our Auxey-Duresses comes from plots located in the extension of the Meursault appellation.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: mostly limestone.
Orientation: North-East
Surface area under vine: 0.31 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 55 hL/ha
Average age of the vine: 35 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 9 September 2018.
The grapes were handpicked and were sorted a first time in the vineyard and a second time when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: The whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels of 450L & 350L with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation (up to 10 months!) using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 14 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. 35% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: Oak of French origin toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: The wine was bentonite fined and very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in December 2019.
Number of bottles: 2,274.
Vintage
2018, abundance and excellence
After a winter that was almost too mild, the vintage was notable for two contrasting periods. Spring was sunny and totally devoid of frost, despite some localized episodes of hail, which had major impact on certain plots on the Côte de Nuits, which were hit in June. Then the summer was dry and hot, blocking the ripening process in places. Picking began early, with exceptionally abundant fruit in tip-top condition, offering the potential for some very fine wines.
Ageing potential: from 4 to 7 years.
Tasting notes
The color is pale yellow with golden reflections. the nose will seduce you with its aromas of green apple, white flowers, associated with toasted and smoky notes. On the palate, the wine is supple and tart.
