Tasted with Paul Dujardin in Monthelie, 18 July 2023.
Domaine Dujardin
1 Grande Rue
21190 Monthelie
Tel: +33 3 80 21 20 08
www.domaine-dujardin.com
This 8-hectare, family domaine, is situated in the heart of Monthelie. Their production is also mainly Monthelie – they have 5 hectares – but whilst the Monthelie appellation produces about 80% red wine, this domaine produces 70% white wine.
The father, Ulrich Dujardin, chose to sell mainly to private clients. 2019 was the first vintage where the next generation – Maregauy and Paul are working together.
Paul Dujardin on 2022:
“It was the 1er crus of Bouzeron and Rully that mainly got hit by hail – up on the plateau – so we escaped. Versus our neighbours, we are usually one of the last pickers, but the valley of Monthelie can be cool, even in hot years. I still don’t have a lot of juice in 22 as there wasn’t much water, but I still think of it as a very good year.”
France is largest market with 30% of their current sales-
The wines…
Wines that I enjoyed a lot – this is a producer to keep tabs on – the whites shone bright on this day…
The elevage here sees 16 months in barrel – 12 months for the reds – but then a further 6 months in tank before bottling:
2022 Bouzeron Latournelle
Next to Rully under La Folie
Fresh and direct aromas. Supple in the mouth with good concentration but also with balanced energy. Nice intensity too – this was bottled last month.
2022 Auxey-Duresses Les Fosses
Not yet bottled.
A nicely direct nose. A wine with lovely width and even a little tension – super finishing. I love it.
2022 Meursault
A blend of 3 plots; Crotot, Près des Manches and Meix Cheveaux – the youngest vines here are now 20
Hmm, an attractive, noble, reduction – nicely direct. Ripe in the mouth but it’s energetic and growing in intensity too. Vibrant, quite mineral finishing – thats a great finish!
There are 3 plots of white Monthelie here to showcase their different terroirs:
2022 Monthelie La Combe Danay
A stony, white soil.
More floral nose with some sweetness in this fruit complexity. Broad, very nice energy again – and once more I love this finishing intensity.
2022 Monthelie Les Plantes
This plot has the afternoon sun, vs the morning sun of the previous.
Hmm, that’s super reminiscent of the noble reduction of the Meursault. There’s extra width and generosity in the base of this flavour. Nicely vibrant. Lovely wine again with a grain of finishing tannin.
2022 Monthelie La Goulotte
Above Les Duresses.
A fuller nose of both energy and minerals. A more supple, muscular – wiry, lithe, muscle – this faintly oaked today – but impressive finishing with white flower complexity. Super wine again.
Les Reds :
2022 Beaune Le Beau Fougets
Near the Renault garage, south of Beaune – but higher up near Boucherottes
A fresh nose, red fruit and almost a little graphite. Supple, beautiful, slightly generously flavoured. There’s a little spice but it’s not really rose perfumed despite 20% wc. This finish is easy. That’s a classy villages Beaune.
2022 Monthelie
From Combe Danay, picked 5 days after all the rest of the domaine – except for the aligote
A faint reduction and deeper red fruit. Large in the mouth, faintly grained and with a very nice persistence – keep this 3+ years to open and soften…
2022 Monthelie Jouenes
Opposite 1er cru Duresses
Redder fruit, seemingly silky. The palate is also silky, with an impression of wiry muscle too. Intense – impressive – better wine but also for keeping.
2022 Monthelie . . .
Three climats (dots) when these ate all blended
Boiled sweet complexity – these are sweet and attractive aromas. Supple, silky, velvet style – more concentration – much more accessible today but still properly intense in the finish.
2022 Monthelie 1er Vignerondes
Next to Volnay.
A sweetness of red fruit. Fine mouth-filling shape, faintly encased with a velvet tannin. There is more depth here, plus a fine linear line of finishing persistence.
2022 Monthelie 1er Champs Fulliot
A strong nose, almost a hint of volatile richness – volatility can be quite common pre-bottling. Broad, concentrated but energetic. Another wine for keeping but this glass is jam-packed with everything.
These last wines were fermented with 40-50% whole-clusters – but today, you really can’t see that.
2022 Monthelie 1er Les Barbiers
Only 25 hl/ha
A very calm width of dark fruit aroma. Supple and cushioned, a little vanilla coats tons of sweet fruit. Broad – just too delicious today, I slightly wish for a bit more visible structure but that’s still a super wine.