Profile: Chanzy

Update 25.2.2020(1.4.2015)billn

DSC06255Tasted in Bouzeron with Jean-Baptiste Jessiaume, 25th February 2015.

Domaine Chanzy
1 Rue de la Fontaine
71150 Bouzeron
Tel: +33 3 85 87 62 10
www.domaine-chanzy.com

Family Jessiaume moved to Bouzeron after selling their domaine of the same name in Santenay, a domaine where 7 seven generations worked since 1830 – until they sold it in 2006 – to a Scot.

The whole family moved to Bouzeron for a new challenge, buying the Domaine Chanzy with a group of investors in 2012. Domaine Chanzy covers 38 hectares of which 14 are in Bouzeron – including the Clos de la Fortune, the only monopole in Bouzeron. Rully, Mercurey, red and white Santenay, Puligny and even some Vosne-Romanée make up the other hectares.

The Jessiaume family had, over multiple years, built up some négoce contact and contracts which have followed them to Bouzeron – it’s almost the same label, just noting either Maison or Domaine – there was previously no ‘Maison Chanzy’. Chanzy exported just 4% of production when the family arrived, Jean-Baptiste now looking to work hard on developing export markets, particularly the domaine’s aligotés in Asia “As its such a good food match” he says.

2012 was vinified by the previous team, 13 the first vintage by the new home team. Jean-Baptiste arrived in 2013, father still here for consulting. Jean-Baptiste the trophy for jeune vigneron of the year 2012 for his work at Domaine Jessiaume.

In the cuverie, it’s all thermo-regulated tanks for fermentation – all the reds being destemmed ‘for the moment.’ Whites at one end of the cuverie – with their own entrance – the reds at the other, again with a dedicated grape reception. The white wine barrel-cellar- with music playing in the background – multiple larger demi-muids are also used ‘to keep maximum freshness.’ Jean-Baptiste says he’s using 4 different coopers, though Chassin forms the base. The area for reds is big and impressive, big barrels and foudres in here for the Rully – there’s also a really impressive line-up of négoce wines in the cellar; 6 of the 8 Chambertins are here, they only miss Ruchottes and Mazoyères – this year, at-least! Aligote is done in tank and some foudre. About 200,000 bottles were produced in 2013 – “but it will get bigger, more like 300,000” says Jean-Baptiste.

Jean-Baptiste on 2013:
“About a 50% harvest in 2013 but fortunately there was no hail. Clearly it was a difficult year but I’m happy with the results – actually it was a little more complicated for the whites because of their later malos.”

News du Jour
Associated to that last statement, is the main news story (of the last months) that surround this domaine – and it’s not about wine, rather about investments! There has been a (very!) well-publicised attempt to raise capital through ‘Incubator funds’ aiming to get the quickest listing with multiple investors, it started, though latterly seems to have run out of steam. There’s plenty of stuff you can watch on YouTube if you interested. Basically the team at Chanzy and their proposed investment vehicle are looking to promote Chanzy and their wines to a luxury segment. This runs counter to my ideals of burgundy wine so I won’t discuss it further, rather I’ll just concentrate on the wines…

And anyway, hot in…

The wines…

15 cuvées from the domain and another 20 négoce. I thought these wines very high quality – Jean-Baptiste notes that “Our approach is that the wines should give pleasure, even the grand crus – you should be able to drink younger or with maturity – never that you say, hmm too early…”

2013 Bouzeron Clos de la Fortune
“Super exposure, the grapes came in between 12° and 13° natural in 2014.” Bottling today, so direct from bottling line.
Deep, slightly pungent aroma with good freshness and plenty of weight. Quite silky with a growing concentration and freshness a little green herb too – this is very tasty.

2013 Rully Blanc en Rosey
The domaine has a mix of red and white in Rully, extending over 12 hectares.
A deeper yellow. More ripeness and some weight of cooked lemon below. Despite the riper nose, this is lovely in the mouth – fresh, intense and with a fine character underpinned by a faint oak. Really lovely wine!

2013 Mercury Les Caraby
Forward, fresh, with a little heavier herb below. More intense, perhaps a little more mineral but with really lovely flavour. Wide and also impressive . Again very lovely with a hint less oak showing today.

2013 Mercurey 1er Cos du Roy
Another, deep, intense and forward nose that belies the vivacity and attack on the palate. Clearly there’s more richness here but there’s a bubbling complexity too. A fine and ever-wider flavour profile in the finish. Long, long…

Les rouges…

2013 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
A cuvée that’s partly Bouzeron bourgogne, with some sectors of declassified Rully too.
Deep fresh, very pretty dark red/black fruit. Nice width, good fresh flavour dimension, super silky modestly positioned tannin, supple and very moreish. Lovely wine.

2013 Rully En Rosey
Medium, medium-plus colour. The aromatic is a little floral – almost a hint of stem – but there are none. More direct, a little more intense, again very fine silky texture, I slightly prefer the fruit flavour of the last wine, but love the line and architecture of this wine.

2013 Mercurey La Caraby
A little less forward, faint herb and a redder base. Wide, almost a little chalky, a little more structured, really most interesting in the mid-palate and finish with plenty of complexity. Rather tasty.

2013 Mercurey 1er Clos du Roy
Deep almost vibrant dark red fruit nose – quite complex. Direct, intense, with a good silky base and some tannic drag, A wine that will repay a little wait-time. But very drinkable – yum!

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