Tasted in Préhy with Clotilde Davenne and team, 13 January 2021.
Domaine Clotilde Davenne
3, rue de Chantemerle
89800 Préhy
Tel: +33 3 86 41 46 05
www.clotildedavenne.fr
More reports for Domaine Clotilde Davenne
On 2019:
“2019 was not really a big harvest – it was a little too dry for that – 2020 was similar – we had grapes but not that much juice. Our harvest started 7th September. Perhaps about 25% less – but it was more like minus 50% in the reds – Irancy for instance. 2018 was a big vintage for volume but with balance and accessible wines – it’s ageing well too. The 2019s are nicely fragrant and have the impression of good acidity, the minerality is much more present I think too – Not much reached 13° – except the Irancy which was 13.4°. The Irancy is a little tight but I’m very happy with the whites.‘
The wines…
Real bravado from Chlotilde’s ‘entry’ wines in 2019. This really an address for those who like their Chablis ‘steely’ in 2019. Overlook here 2018 reds at your peril too!
2019 Bourgogne Aligoté Vieilles-Vignes
This has a nice line of attractive citrus. Wide, intense – almost a sharp acidity – but with depth to this flavour. Lovely width of finishing flavour too – really intense finishing and quite fragrant at the same time. This for keeping a while – you will be rewarded.
Just behind the domaine in Prehy on Kimmerigian, a little more soil depth but probably should be classed as Chablis! Planted in 1992 and usually harvested near the end. Screw-cap
That’s a lovely nose – shimmering with minerality – many Chablis would blush when compared to this. Hmm, mineral, energetic, depth of flavour – not quite a richness but there’s concentration. A super finish with a last impression that’s more saline. Gorgeous – bravo!
Two parcels of old vines – from 2018 in the domaine.
Ooh, that’s very perfumed, slightly menthol – impressively different. Mouth-filling, but never hard or austere, layered and delicious – super energy in the middle – never too much. Again finishing with a lick of salinity – different, but equally good – bravo!
2019 St.Bris
A depth of aroma – menthol above. Fresh attack, lots of energy a structural wine but again not hard. Becoming more mouth-watering but super finishing intensity, again with a touch of salinity. Super wine…
Ooh – now that’s super – rounder yet deeper, golden fruit but absolutely, minerally, great. A shade more intensity, more mouth-watering – a waterfall of flavour. Absorbing wine – bravo!
2019 Petit Chablis
Deep, suggesting a little mineral reduction. Direct, steely acidity, mouth-watering almost as well as the SBVV. The finish is wide and delicious. Excellent PC for keeping a little while.
All the previous wines have a DIAM-style of closure, or screw-cap, and Clotilde has started with the DIAM Mytik for their crémant.
2019 Chablis
Also a modest mineral reduction, but here with more volume of aroma. Larger in the mouth too – not quite austere but a classic minerality for keeping a while. Lovely mouth-watering flavour
2019 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
Ooh – that’s just a great nose. Wide, mouth-filling, mineral and mouth-watering. Like all these to wait for but the basic shape, intensity and classicism are not to be doubted. Very long.
2019 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
Bought from same producer each year.
Here the nose is wide, airy but clearly a little timid. Extra mineral in the width, despite a nice depth of comfy texture there’s almost an austerity here that says – ‘wait two years’ – I would. That’s very fine, a little more opulent finishing.
2019 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Width again, this time with a little more depth of aroma. Ouch – that’s wide, fresh and intense – a cool fruit – again a classic style for keeping a while. Long, golden yellow-fruited in the finish.
38-year-old vines in Courgis, from the bottom of Montmains.
Also a little compact in the nose. Wide and growing, mouth-filling – freshness and intensity again. The minerality has a little more middle and finishing density. What a great finish – this stands a little apart today – bravo!
2018 grand crus as the 2019s ‘are not yet ready, yet:’
2018 Chablis Bougros
A compact nose, some density and some small impression of sweetness. Fine freshness and presence in the mouth – quite saline, not overtly grand cru but still with much concentration and complexity. The length is excellent.
2018 Chablis Les Clos
Like all wines at this domaine, never any wood. Bottled just after the harvest.
A little more open, wider, a creamy accent from the barrel too. Vibrant, quite intense, a little more overtly grand cru but with some barrel complexity too. Also a very complex finish. That’s really good here. Give this time for the barrel to fade, but that’s a very good 2018.
Cremant Brut Extra
A base of vintage 2018
That’s a nicely wide nose – very clean and inviting. Of-course this is dry – super-refreshing, intense with lovely energy. Holding well – I can imagine myself in 30°C, in the garden, sipping this – lovely.
Cremant Brut Extra – Rosé
All pinot here vs the blend of the last.
A little more compact nose – the colour a medium salmon pink. Easier over the palate, no lack of energy or acidity – still the impression of a little more sweetness. Delicious, easier to drink today – I have a slight preference for the former, but nothing dramatic – both are lovely!
Les Rouges:
2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
A barrel sample
Ample, round deeply fruited and framed with creamy oak. Round in the mouth too – plenty of concentration – a little tannin at the base. Nicely mouth-watering, tasty wine – already not much oak to see in the flavours. Fine Bourgogne.
2019 Irancy Paradis
Deeply coloured. Deep, impressive in the mouth with some accents of fresh pyrazine. Very fine tannin at the base. Wide and impressive finishing too – that’s a very fine finish. Lovely!
2019 Irancy
A deeper, more mineral-driven nose – less width of aroma. Cooler fruit, more direct, the tannic structure very similar to the Paradis but with extra dryness – really mouth-watering though – almost a licorice accent here.
These 18 are almost ready to bottle:
Partly made with the whole-clusters. From Côte d’Auxerre but for export it’s much easier to sell with the detail on the label.
That’s a nose of volume, width and a fine implied texture. In the mouth too – more depth of concentration, super depth of texture too. Plenty of tannin, slightly drying, but here’s an impressively weighted, proportioned and flavoured Bourgogne – bravo – but have patience!
A little more open and wider than the 2019, hinting at a floral accent. Very fine tannin and super depth of flavour. Like the Bourgogne, the 18 is showing much more impressively than the 2019. The last flavours are long, fresh and juicy – that’s a great Irancy.
10% cesar in this.
A more fragrant vibration to this aroma – that’s really super. More direct, more layered, more fragrant in the mouth. That’s great Irancy – complex, accessible the tannin present but more of an accent. Juicy finishing and very long. A simply great range of reds in 2018!
For the road:
2013 Bourgogne Aligote VV
A nose of volume, of weight and depth of aroma – slightly sweet and musky but a great invitation. Wide, a little comfort to the texture but still wide and minerally mouth-watering. Lots of finesse and youth here – all the producers said drink the 2013s relatively young, but they are still so tasty…
