Côtes de Nuits-Villages
Au Clou 2014
This is the wine King Henri IV had in mind to go with the Sunday chicken he wished every family in France to enjoy. It is as accessible as it is amiable, honest and straightforward in taste.
Origin
This recent appellation, introduced in 1964, covers 163 ha of which 157 ha produce red wines. In the northern part of the appellation, some of the terroirs in the villages of Brochon and Fixin are able to bear this appellation, but it is in the southern part, beginning in Corgoloin (the frontier between the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits) that most of the vineyards are located. The climate is located on a slight slope and is not very far from the best known "Clos des Langres" and the quarries of the village.
The hillsides, including ”Au Clou”, are cut into the Upper Bathonian limestone and have an even, gentle slope. “Au Clou” is a large plot of vines that may have been surrounded by walls in the past, the word "clou", meaning "clos" in the XIV, XV and XI centuries.
Viticulture
Grape variety: pinot noir
Soils: the Upper Bathonian limestone
Orientation: South-East
Surface area under vine: 0.30 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 50hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 40 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: September the 14th 2014.
The grapes were handpicked.
At the winery: The grapes were completely destemmed but not crushed (they were left whole) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration lasted a total of 25 days including one week of cold maceration (12°C). Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). Infrequent punching of the cap (8 maximum).
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 16 months with no racking using a proportion of 35% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time for very delicate oaking.
Bottling
Bottling: using gravity in January 2016.
Vintage
2014, a year for whites
The weather this year – with a rainy summer and wonderfully sunny September – was very promising for the whites. The Chardonnays presented a wonderful balance, while the reds were more about sophistication than opulence.
Ageing potential: from 5 to 8 years.
Tasting notes
This wine, which has the gleaming crimson highlights of the Pinot grape, veers sometimes towards an bright cherry hue. Its aromas run a classic spectrum through raspberry and pepper notes with a floral touch. A fine wine on the palate, with roundness and a fruity character.
