Tasted with Laurent Martray near Odenas, 18 February 2020.
Domaine Laurent Martray
Combiaty
69460 Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne
Tel: +33 6 14 42 04 74
www.domainelaurentmartray.com
More reports for Domaine Laurent Martray
Laurent compares the recent vintages:
“2019 was a less easy vintage. We had lots of heat but in fact, the ripeness came quite late – we had good degrees but not very dark colours – it reminds me a little of 2016. 2018 is irregular, some places made a lot of wine, others not. In the bottom near Pierreux (I’ve 2 ha now) that area did get touched a little by frost but not too much. In the end 42 hl/ha that’s better than I managed in 2017!”
The wines…
Wow – what a tasting! There’s often a domaine that stands out in a particular month’s tastings: October to January it was Roulot, DRC and Raveneau – in February it was between Laurent Martray and Alain Coudert. Great wine, after great wine, after great wine…
Was bottled in August. Vines that look towards the hill of the Côte de Brouilly. 50% destemmed, 14-16 day cuvaison, then foudres.
Perfumed and deep. Wide, concentrated, faintly saline – lovely fruit – no excess – lovely texture before the tannin, very modestly grained. Mineral finishing. Fresh, complex, give this a little time in the cellar then enjoy – bravo!
Not yet finished elevage so there’s some gas. About one-third in barrel – probably to bottle in April.
Ooh – much deeper, more textured nose – that’s very impressive, growing floral perfume like the last. More vibrant energy, a little saline, touched but not bruised by its oak. Architectural, mouth-watering – that’s completely delicious – bravo!
A mix of parcels, half barrel half foudre.
A broader depth of aroma again – dark, graphite and dark fruit. Very wide, super energetic, a super line of juicy dark fruit, a suggestion of salinity too. Three very different characters and all completely delicious – bravo!
And some 2017s:
2017 Brouilly La Folie
‘More complex soils,’ longer maceration up to 16 days and half-destemmed ‘to have a little more finesse. This is like a link between the Brouilly and the Côte de Brouilly. I’m against new wood but I buy barrels every now and then that have at least three wines behind them.’ Overall only 35 hl/ha for the domaine in 2017
Again fresh – quite open – once-more a nice floral perfume – less forceful than the 2018 today. More intense in the mouth, driving, more visible tannin grain, but intense! Lots of finishing dimension of flavour and brightly finishing – not the width of sophisticated texture of the 2018 but what a beautiful line of flavour – excellent!
100% barrel but old barrel – there’s usually some foudre too but the volume was low in 17. Brouilly with a bit more elevage.
Not as much aromatic volume but a round and very silky impression to this, frankly, captivating nose. Fresh, energetic – very open, great structure – indeed – great wine. Tons of finishing dimension – a great finish – bravo!
A great perfume again – these wines are so on form today. Complex, layered despite the freshness, the very small grain of tannin, wow finishing Again – great!
Cement tanks for all, all wines have a fine filtration but no fining, this all bottled by hand. This predominantly from 1916 vines, ‘just a big enough cuvée that it doesn’t take anything away from the previous wine.’ No new barrels, 4—6 years old.
Not same aromatic impact but this is still a beauty – wide and just so inviting and faintly suggestion the oak this time but intertwined with the floral. Fuller in the mouth, great texture dark fruit, a direct wine that’s structurally serious but beautifully tailored – more saline in the finishing complexity. Great but wait 5 years!