Côtes de Nuits-Villages
Au Clou 2023
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: 52 hL/ha
Average age of the vines: 45 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 14 September 2023.
The grapes were handpicked. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and again on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery.
At the winery: the grapes were 850% destemmed but not crushed and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration of 18 days of which 3 days cold (12 ° C): Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). 4 punchings of the cap.
Ageing
Maturation: aged on the lees for 12 months with no racking using a proportion of 42% 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: by gravity in October 2024, wine fined with bentonite, very light lenticular filtration.
Number of bottles: 2,088.
Vintage
Fruity and generous
The 2023 vintage experienced unpredictable weather conditions, making work in the vineyards essential for grape quality. Harvesting began in early September under intense heat with the Chardonnays to avoid over-ripening, followed by the reds. The whites will spend two winters in the cellar, while the Pinot Noirs will have undergone short ageing to preserve the fruity aromas. A vintage that brings out the best in each terroir, offering wines that are bright and delicious.
Ageing potential: from 6 to 9 years.
Tasting notes
Ruby-red color. The nose opens with an intense bouquet of red fruits and ripe cherries. The palate is greedy, voluptuous and concentrated. A round wine with coated tannins and good length.
