Tasted in Chiroubles with Anthony Charvet, 23 February 2023.
Domaine Anthony Charvet
2295 route de Chiroubles
69115 Chiroubles
Tel: +33 6 50 07 25 01
www.vins-anthony-charvet.fr
Anthony tells that it may only be a generation in their own vines but the family from the Juliénas side go back much further with the vines. His father worked at the local château, making wine for them and for himself since the 1970s – the family domaine was finally created here in 1986. Despite living in Morgon, Anthony runs things here now – and it’s about 4 hectares of vines.
“I like 18-20 days maceration – quite long macerations. The grapes are 2/3rd destemmed. 2020 is the commercial vintage here but in 2-3 months I will be changing to 2021…”
Anothony on 2021:
“It wasn’t too bad a year. We had a lot of rain like everyone but here in Chiroubles the ground drains very well so we were able to keep up with the treatments – I used just one systemic treatment during the growing season. My aim is to do 50 hl/ha per year but I actually average 40-45 – but in 2021 I surprised myself and actually managed 50! But what’s average? – I did exactly zero in 2016 because of the hail!”
The wines…
Special things are being made in Anthony’s qvevris!
2021 Fleurie Grand Près
Good colour for 21. There’s a nice width of fruity aroma here – very inviting. Supple, some tannic structure but nothing of austerity. That’s super and even a little juicy finishing.
2021 Chiroubles ‘Granite’
A blend of parcels here – blended during the time of maceration.
Less clarity yet more depth and openness – there is extra perfume in the top notes too. A direct wine – growing with intensity – some tannin again but arriving a little later and with a slightly more saline end to these flavours – that’s a young but very attractive thing – borderline austere in the finish – but not exactly – wait 12 months.
2021 Morgon Fontriante
This lieu-dit just 100 metres from the domaine on the border with Chiroubles.
Hmm – I like this nose – a little less forward but perfumed and showing a little graphite minerality. Hmm (again) – direct, plenty of tannin, slightly drying but with no grain. Sweeping flavours, clean lines. Ooh – that’s simply excellent wine!
2021 Chirouble LXIR
Old vines – 30 days of maceration all destemmed – demi-mids for elevage – for commercializing in 2024. Fermentation quite cool – not more than 25°C.
The oak is modestly visible in the aromas. Supple, round, very silky – the oak present but again not too excessive. Again some tannin – finer – long, complex, less energetic less overt purity of fruit flavour but clearly longer.
Two Bordeaux-style (more Italian style) bottles:
45 days of maceration then into the Georgian jars for 8-9 mmonths of elevage.
Interesting, less forward, rounder nose – not overtly of fruit. Hmm, that has concentration, plenty of tannin again but not too much of a drying style. Really very complex finishing and very long. That’s a great finish – wait a couple of years for this – it’s just a nose short of great today.
This all destemmed and then with the grapes in jar – for 200 days! After pressing it goes into tank for the bottling – there’s no extra elevage.
An airy red fruit for the top notes – there’s complexity here – almost a little floral aspect try to get out too. Full, concentrated – some tannic grain but still with a lovely full texture. That’s a great wine – it needs time – but special things are being made in Anthony’s qvevris!
2020(!) Beaujo Beau
Also with maceration in the Qvevri
Hmm – not a large nose but one that’s silky and also has a hint of development and something floral. Open, slightly grained with tannin – it’s the style here – but open and delicious.