Tasted in Chambolle-Musigny with Michel Digioia, 31 January, 2018.
Domaine Digioia-Royer
Rue du Carré
21220 Chambolle-Musigny
Tel:+33 3 80 61 49 58
Michel on 2017:
“2017 was good – avoiding the difficult episodes of weather – regarding the frost, I think the burning of hay-bales really did make the difference in 2017 – mainly because the smoke helped to reduce the intensity of the early morning sun on the half-frozen vines, so giving them some chance to recover. It was a slightly early harvest, not astronomic volumes – mainly because I have a lot of old vines. It’s looking like a correctly constructed, accessible vintage.”
Michel on 2016:
“In Chambolle-Musigny? I lost 60% to the frost here. In Nuits St.Georges I was 30% down, though the vines that recovered the best were actually those in the Hautes Côtes in Concoeur – in the end I was only 5-10% lower than normal there. 2016 was very hard, right from the first dramatic episode of frost followed by quite chaotic weather – yet the wines have great quality and concentration – though they should have from 60% less wine than normal – in fact I had no harvest at all in Savigny. With time, the vintage is slowly beginning to remind me of 2010.”
The wines…
Michel Digioia always produces wines with some structure – so you should have patience – but the wines are fabulous after about 3 years and more. 2016 is no different – except that there is less wine! Always a first class address.
2016 Bourgogne Blanc
From the commune of Chambolle, towards the railway line. A lot of 50 year-old vines here but also a lot of losses to esca, so replanting some young vines but also planting some pinot too. There’s a little limestone here. Barrel elevage.
A nice volume of aroma – a freshness of aroma too. Depth of flavour, some barrel in the middle. But long and tasty. Good wine
2016 Bourgogne Rosé
Only a 2-3 hour press, not a saigné. Always a small cuvee, but even smaller in 2016 – it’s mainly a wine for the US, all tank fermentation and elevage – full malo.
A modest nose, faintly biscuity. Wide on the palate – just a tasty wine – easy and delicious.
2016 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Just bottled two weeks, all from below the route national but in the commune of Chambolle – like the white. Manual harvest, half barrel, half tank elevage.
Needs some coaxing from the small glass. Big in the mouth, fresh, lots of structure but great fruit behind – wait two years, it will be good.
2016 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits
Also a couple of weeks in bottle. From Concoeur above Vosne, 52 years old vines with a limestone soil. 12-14 month elevage in barrel. 15% new oak.
A little reductive but really a super depth and dimension of aroma. Supple, wider, a hint of reduction again but more volume and classic sweetness of pinot – patience again, dear drinker, but this will be delicious.
2016 Nuits St.Georges Les Charmois
From Les Charmois – 40-year-old vines in a slightly colder area.
The nose starts tight, but opens, indeed blossoms in the glass – beautiful. Open, a little structure, but bright, fresh beautiful flavour. Lovely wine. Wait two years again.
2016 Chambolle-Musigny
6 parcels from below and above the village, approaching 60 years average vine age.
A pretty, delicate nose, becoming floral with time. Open, mineral, melting but fresh with a little tannin at the base – but what an elegance here. A beauty!
2016 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
From Les Fremiers and 80-85 year-old vines. 0.70 hectares
Really a deep nose, concentrated. More fruit at the start, fine fresh, complex. A fine clarity of flavour here.
The Gruenchers and Groseilles were blended together as the yields of each were so low, though Michel says that it was the old vines that did better in 2016 so he has a higher % of old-vine produce in the final wines than usual – the parcels are next to each other.
There is a beautiful density but still a captivating floral character to this nose. A large, mouth-filling, volume but of freshness, not cushioning – this is really a tight bundle of greatness. Bravo!
Now the 2015s:
2015 Savigny-lès-Beaune Dessus les Vermots
Second vintage.
Wow this is super open, vibrantly fruited too – excellent aromas. Supple, depth of flavour. An accent of oak. But really delicious wine.
2015 Nuits St.Georges
‘Almost in the forest!’
Deep, a little reductive. Plenty of structure, but volume, and depth of flavour. Really to wait for but with much anticipation.
2015 Chambolle-Musigny
Averaging 55-60 year-old vines.
Deeply coloured. Also a little tight but some attractive flashes of fruit nonetheless. Direct, slowly melting from the core, structured wine but with no sharp edges. You could wait less time here, but you should still wait. Excellent wine.