Tasted in Nuits St.Georges with Vincent Ledy, 12 June 2023.
Domaine Vincent Ledy
13 rue Camille Rodier
21700 Nuits-Saint-Georges
Tel: +33 6 33 60 75 60
www.domainevincentledy.com
Vincent’s cellar is in a historic corner of Nuits that was once owned by Geisweiller. He’s been here at this address since 2017 – just across the road from his uncle Alain Michelot. He demolished part of the building to aid his installion of a cuverie.
Vincent previously worked with Domaine Lechenaut in Nuits from 2005 until 2013 – but has had some vines of his own since 2007. These were Bourgogne from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits which he tended at weekends, nights and in his holidays – by 2013 he already had 5 different appellations including some white.
“My mother wasn’t involved in the the wine business but my uncles and grandfather were, of course…
“I don’t have the famous cuvées of the Côte de Nuits that people dream of but I think my wines show well. I have 4.60 hectares in organic production. 3 white cuvées and the rest – 75% of my production – is red. Sales are principally for export – Japan, the US and Denmark are major outlets.
“I’m not the biggest fan of the ‘solar vintages’ – particularly the recent ones that are dry and always with some wind – the volumes are too low and the alcohols are creaping up. Three-quarters of my 2021s are bottled – it’s the cuvées that were destemmed that are simply not yet ready – at least not for the lunar calendar I’m following! So they are not yet done. I don’t like make-up either so I use no additives and I include the taste of new oak in that – so there is none.
“I’m always late – and that includes my pruning! So in 2021 I had a good harvest – not the volume of 2022 but a lot more than in 2020. ”
Vincent has been working organically since 2013 but wasn’t certified in the early years. So he started with the paperwork in 2018 and was certified organic for this 2021 vintage – only his new cuvée of Savigny is not yet certified.
The wines…
Seriously great Bourgognes here. A range of wines that are absolutely worth your attention!
First the wines not bottled:
This the destemmed wine
Round, inviting, faintly cushioned red fruit – it’s a beauty! Supple, well concentrated – vibrant – like the nose with a small cushion. Fine finishing clarity – Great Bourgogne!
2021 Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Beaumonts
These are the last vines before the start of the Savigny appellation.
A faint reduction to start but it’s quickly gone to reveal (still) plenty of depth and a more floral aspect with a vertical shape. I like the intensity of this – almost incisive but with plenty of material whilst retaining it’s freshness. Broad, vibrating with a more mineral width and energy. Super wine!
2021 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Porrets St.Georges
The last of the wines waiting to bottle – this of larger scale and a much more open, airy, nose – the florals are more overt here. Chiselled, growing in intensity. Really fine texture – a subtle tannin without grain and then an impressively broad finishing width. That’s a proper 1er cru – I love it!
The wines that are bottled:
2021 Bourgogne Les Combes
The first vintage with wc:
Modest colour – the first aromas are also modest – but only of modest intensity – there’s both purity and a subtle but attractive floral component. Broad – almost delicate – clarity and a more pro-floral style of flavour. A proper wine, one of finesse – indeed the finish is about the most intense part here. Simply delicious wine.
The whole cluster wine from here.
A little extra colour. Another wine with a smaller nose – floral again but this time more in the rose-style of the wc – beautifully so. More impact and with wonderful texture too. Porcelain structure and an impressively persistent finish – bravo Bourgogne!
2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles-Vignes
A new cuvée here. A blend of 3 parcels.
Also a small nose – redder and with more cushion. Lovely texture again – the acidity more visible but also the larger-scale of the middle flavours too – that’s a wonderfully juicy and flavourful finish – almost a hint more rustic – structurally – than the Bourgogne but also with more material and complexity. Delicious again…
2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Connardises
This certified organic. Vines from 1939…
A broader nose, more silken and more towards the floral than the fruit. Much more direct – a wine with modest structure but a thrusting shape then bursting with extra energy and and finishing intensity – almost a creaminess in this finish – more haunting in finishing style… Simply excellent wine…
Vines planted by grandfafter in 1935 with very tiny grapes…
A broader width of aroma – like almond blossom. Incisive – beautifully structured. A flavour that starts strict but slowly eases over the palate before exploding in width and persistence. Über-fine tannin and a floral accent to the haunting finish. And the flavour goes on… Top!
Les Whites:
“My Fathers family are from Alsace – so I like to plant some whites that remind me of their side of the family and for some originality too. I like frank wines without artifice. For these whites I’ll make a small fining:”
2021 Pinot Gris
Vines in Chaux
Darker colour – there was some skin maceration here. A nose of impact with an impression of structure. Good shape and texture with a growing intensity of flavour too – quite structural wine. The finish is reeling me in – the starting flavours are less my style but the finish is lovely…
2021 Chardonnay
Planted in 2013, the selection extra-fine. ‘We used plenty of sulfur due to the oïdium – s0 this wine has a reduction.’
Plenty of colour. Aromas of direction and chalkiness – not particularly reductive – in fact it’s becoming quite floral. Larger scale and energy. Saline, mineral and intense – with waves of broad finishing flavour. Lovely.