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Chandon De Briailles Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile Des Vergelesses 2012

$139.99

VERY LIMITED.  2012 Red Burgundy is hard to resist!

Out of stock

Categories: , , Product ID: 9138

Description

In Burgundy, where they don’t mind waiting for wines to mature, this classical, Savigny based grower has long been considered one of the reference estates. Yet, while these perfumed, graceful and structured wines remain a yardstick for classically-styled red Burgundies, recent years have witnessed subtle changes in both the vineyards and cellars that is now resulting in wines that are far more seductive in their youth.

Chandon de Briailles is a 13-hectare, biodynamic domaine with important Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Savigny-lès-Beaune and Pernand Vergelesses holdings. It is owned by Comte Aymar and Nadine de Nicolaÿ, Nadine’s daughter Claude oversees all aspects winemaking, together with their talented new Australian cellarmaster Christian Knott, while her cousin’s husband, François Grangé, is in charge of the vineyards.

The skilfully tended, long time organic vineyards have been managed biodynamically for a few years now and were certified from the 2011 harvest. There is also a horse used for ploughing in order to minimise compaction. The impact of such practices is always difficult to quantify precisely yet there is no question that the vineyards are today delivering a brighter fruit profile with more intensity and flesh. Another recent change has been to the oak regime. While new oak remains forbidden, François and Claude de Nicolaÿ and their new cellar master have lowered the average age of their barrels by eradicating many of the truly ancient casks and replacing them with 1, 2 and 3 year old oak from benchmark Domaines. Finally, from 2010 the Domaine has instituted a more restrained use of whole bunches. As one of Burgundy’s most faithful advocates of whole bunch usage, this last point may worry lovers of this historically conservative Domaine. Fear not; the wines of Chandon de Briailles are every bit as understated, elegant and poised as they always were, and stems remain very much part of the classical architecture of these wines. It simply means that now the wines’ abundant structure is matched with a little more colour, texture and approachability.

To quote The Burgundy Report’s Bill Nanson, “The Île des Vergelesses is (in Pernand-Vergelesses terms) a quasi Grand Cru – it has a depth and complexity that is often augmented with a cushioned texture from its tannins – the Chandon de Briailles bottling fits exactly to this template.”  This is a stunning, limestone-rich vineyard, relatively high up on the slope and directly facing the hill of Corton. The cool east-by-north-east exposure means that this vineyard is often picked quite late in the harvest, and it produces a wine with great depth of fruit, yet equally with an intense minerality. This site is also home to some of the oldest vines of the Domaine, planted in 1938. The 2012 Île des Vergelesses was vinified with 30% whole bunches from a tiny crop. It’s a cracking example of this vineyard. At just 12.3% natural alcohol, it is a classically mineral and limestone fresh Burgundy. The nose offers floral, blackberry and licorice notes with lovely focus and intensity, while the palate offers more of the same characters, plenty of lively fruit and then finishes with stony gravitas. Great to see the accolade below; just reward for this enchanting example from a superb parcel of vines.

92 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound, Issue 54  “Sweet Spot, Outstanding. A background application of wood allows the elegant, pure and cool aromas of plum, violets and earth to shine. There is an evident minerality that adds lift to the vibrant and beautifully well-delineated medium weight flavors that are shaped by admirably fine-grained tannins on the solidly complex and persistent finish.  I very much like the delivery of this impeccably well-balanced effort that should amply repay 10 to 12 years of cellar time.”

RRP $160

Additional information

Producer

Chandon de Briailles

Region or Country

Burgundy, France

Variety

Pinot Noir

Vintage

2012

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