Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2020
Some vineyards have the power to attract by their appearance alone, and it is evident that the Hautes-Côtes fall into this category…
Origin
This appellation is unique as it is considered to be a regional appellation, though it is limited to a restricted area. The vineyards run parallel to those of the Côte de Nuits (to the west), but are higher in altitude. The soil is composed of limestone outcrops that Chardonnay thrives in and that lend character and lovely freshness to the wine. Only 120 hectares are planted with Chardonnay.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: Jurassic limestone plateau
Orientation: South-East & East.
Pruning: Vignes hautes with Guyot system
Average age of the vines: 36 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 12 September 2020.
The grapes were handpicked.
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 (450L) with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 6 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. A proportion of 20% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been 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 May 2021.
Number of bottles: 1,500.
Vintage
Balanced and concentrated
The harvests happened back-to-front! They began with the reds ripening before the whites. The harvest was very disease-free but we had to eliminate sunburnt berries, especially in the case of the Pinot Noir vines as the Chardonnays had coped better with the heat. Quality was definitely good, but relatively low juice yields has resulted in Pinot Noirs with high colour and aromatic intensity. On the other hand, the Chardonnay vines produced adequate yields with a good balance of sugar and acidity. This optimal ripeness enabled us to harvest the red grapes in certain plots according to the ‘vendange entière’ approach, where stalks are fermented along with the grapes. 'Lots of lovely colour in the reds, with very high polyphenol content, firm tannins and excellent levels of acidity. Looks set to be a year with great cellaring potential. Summer fruit coulis notes definitely have the upper hand in this year’s vintage! The whites are nicely-balanced, but it’s too early to be more precise. Watch this space…’ Grégory Patriat.
Ageing potential: between 4 to 8 years.
Tasting notes
With a pretty pale yellow color, this wine reveals floral aromas, fresh hazelnut and lemon notes. On the palate, the freshness asserts itself and opens on a silky texture.
