Tasted in Fixin with Michel Naddef, 04 April 2023
Domaine Philippe Naddef
30 Route des Grands Crus
21220 Fixin
Tel: +33 3 80 51 54 99
www.bourgogne-naddef.com/
Michel is only the second generation of the domaine with this name but the roots of the family here go much deeper. Dr Bizot, Michel’s great-grandfather, had a lot of vines and as the name suggests is related to the domaine of that name in Vosne but also the Gallois of Gevrey too – there was a further domaine for Bizot’s vines in Beaune and Savigny too.
This domaine works 5.5 hectares, of which, 1.5 are planted to white. 5.5 hectares but with 15 different cuvées; “Hopefully not less than 3 barrels in each case – but in reality, it’s anywhere between 1 and 15 barrels.” A large part of their wines from Gevrey left the domaine, bound for the négoce up to 2021 but Michel has the ambition to commercialise all of the production at his domaine.
Michel on 2021:
“We made a similar quantity to 2020 – in other words, that’s about 40% down. 2020 was down everywhere but in 2021 it was the high parts that suffered the most, producing about 80% less. We ‘only’ lost 20% in the bottom of the slopes.”
The wines…
A very good and consistent range from Michel – I visited because I’d tasted excellent things at the Roi Chambertin tasting last November – and I’m happy to say that my thoughts were confirmed – this is a very good address!
We were tasting the wines just 4-5 days before bottling – so with perfect timing!
2021 Côteaux Bourguignone Clos Aux Eglises
Vines in Marsannay/Couchey – 50 yds from Bourgogne vines – no wood elevage for this.
Round, darker fruit. Hmm – mouth-filling – juicy fruit, faintly structured. An easy and delicious start.
2021 Bourgogne Côte d’Or
Vines in Couchey – 2 parcels. Only 2 barrels – 12 months elevage, all destemmed – older barrels. Used to be a larger cuvée but one part got upgraded to Marsannay villages.
Smoky and perfumed – that’s attractive. More supple, velour texture – darker fruit – again a very attractive wine – and completely delicious – it’s a super Bourgogne.
2021 Marsannay
5 different parcels – still in Couchey… in 2022 some new oak and a cuvée name – ‘Coeur de Terroir’
A more high-toned and floral nose. Extra depth and concentration. Deeply flavoured – more depth to this flavour and it’s very well presented too. Simply lovely.
2021 Marsannay Champs Perdrix
Lighter soil with more limestone – only 15 year-old vines. 20% wc and some new oak here too.
Perfumed wine – more airy and floral – a faint barrel note too. Large scale in the mouth – the barrel adds a faint smokiness. Some extra tannin and a finish that holds very well.
2021 Marsannay Genelières
45 year-old vines from a north-facing slope. Up to 40% wc, and one-third new oak
Less open but still with plenty of dark fruit. More direct, cool, faintly grained. A little framing of the flavour with tannin – a fine line of delicious finishing flavour.
5 different vines assembled – 20% wc and a little new oak.
A little smoky aroma from the stems – then a clarion call of beautiful floral aroma – that’s a great nose! Concentrated but silky – there’s a base-line of finely grained tannin and some finishing bitters too – you should wait – but this is a villages Fixin with everything – bravo!
2021 Fixin Les Clos
Not made every year – a parcel selection of the best grapes that are all whole cluster – made since 2008. In 21 only 50% wc though ‘as 21 was hard…’
This nose is round and faintly smoky. Like the last a very fine perfume of fruit. Wide over the palate – there’s scale here – super shaped wine. Broad and intense finishing with small bitters but still finishing sweetly. That’s got a very impressive shape and finish – I think it’s excellent…
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin En Songe
Not quite 40 years-old – ‘so we don’t class as VV here.’ 20% whole cluster
A silkier width of aroma. Less directly floral but still with a fine perfume. Supple, silky – a texturally lovely wine. Broad – a wine that gives a big hug to the drinker – super stuff.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles-Vignes
An average of 50-55 year-old vines – about one-third wc with some new oak
A width of aroma – with a little oak-spice showing here. More architectural – but more dynamic too – I love the vibrancy of this finish.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
Actually Petits Cazetiers – From young vines – still 30% wc but here all new oak…
Not fully open, slightly smoky – slowly adding some fruit aromas. There’s both width and intensity here.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Champeaux
All destemmed – 50% new oak.
Showing some more floral fruit. Broad, fine shape – melting with gorgeous flavour – that’s simply an excellent wine – tons of mouth-watering energy and complexity – yes – slightly creamy finish!
2021 Mazis-Chambertin
2 parcels – bottom and top assembled. 40% wc and all new barrels. 80 year-old vines
Smokiness but here it’s more subtle – a more airy volume – in fact an impressive volume of aroma. Impressive scale – plenty of structure – layers of flavour. This will be super.
2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Champeaux
A large nose which needs some air to clean it up – but it’s very forward. Round, supple, with flavour that’s layered like in the Mazis – still some base of tannin but with middle flavours of concentration and energy. There’s super length to luxuriate in!
Les Whites:
2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay Côte d’Or
3 parcels – just 2 barrels – also a ‘shrunken cuvée’ as some vines have now been classified as Marsannay – 12 months barrel elevage in older barrels
A round, creamy, faintly caramel nose. Full, mouth-filling, ripe – not an exciting wine – but finishing with some decent structure – and lacking no density
More direct and mineral. Broader, more incisive flavour – bubbling with interesting flavour – plenty of concentration. Broad finishing – I like this a lot – this is delicious. A simply excellent CdNuits white – indeed a great Fixin Blanc!
2021 Marsannay Blanc Vieilles-Vignes
A little bit of new oak for this one. Some aromatic weight and at the same time freshness. Hmm – that’s a good wine too – broad, growing in intensity – I like the shape of this – I have a preference for the Fixin today – but find this also a super wine.