Tasted with Justine in Auxey-Duresses at the end of June 2018.
Domaine Prunier-Damy
Rue du Pont Boillot
21190 Auxey-Duresses
Tel: +33 3 80 21 60 38
www.prunierdamy.com
The cuverie of this domaine has been located at the end of the village since 2008, before that it was the old cuverie of Justine’s grandfather. “Now we have top conditions – and so much space!” beams Justine – “But there’s no cellar as the water-table is too high in this part of the village…”
The domaine has 15 hectares of vines that are spread-out over Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Meursault and St.Romain – as well as Auxey-Duresses. A little more than 60% of the domaine’s production is red, with a little aligoté in the mix for the whites.
Justine is the 7th generation of the family here – with the same Prunier family roots as many others in the village – the first Prunier vines being bought on the 1780s. France is the main market, though there is less wine not just in 2016 “Yes we had frost in 2016 – I have to think hard, there’s something every year it seems – maybe we had losses of about 40%, though with vines in different villages we have some saving graces…”
The wines…
The 2017s have recently been assembled as it’s a shorter elevage for the whites here; it’s a direct press, followed by the start of fermentation in stainless-steel tank but finished in barrel. The wine stays in barrel for about 8 months before assembling for bottling. ‘We like to keep a certain freshness.‘
Diam here, also for the reds, all of which are destemmed. Very expressive 2015 reds here and the 2016 whites are beauties. There is also a different label you may notice at this domaine – JJ – it’s négoce – sort of – they are the vines of the domaine but bought by Justine and her husband Jordan to create their own label.
2016 St.Romain Sous Le Château
No new oak here.
Really a perfumed nose, slightly floral. Lots of mouth-filling volume, plenty of sweetness too – but wrapped with a freshness of acidity. Perfumed finishing and persistent. Really an excellent thing. Yum!
At the limit of Meursault – ‘we really have one hillside for reds and another for whites.’
A similar perfume but lower intensity there is more of a mineral impression here. A similar volume to the last but more transparent and more open. Less overtly sweet, though with more balance and melting flavour. This is a beauty. Bravo and holding a great finish too.
2016 Meursault Les Clous
Vines between Vireuils and Tillets. 30% new oak here and it shows, but fortunately in a modest vein.
Just a little oak padding to the yellow fruit. Lovely in the mouth, slight cushioning, a hint of salinity and spice, wide and with plenty of flavour dimension – another delicious wine, and finishing with a faint reduction.
Les Rouges:
2015 Auxey-Duresses l’Argillas
A little creamy oak and a nice red fruit. Wide, a little stemmy but with sweetness and complexity. A very tasty wine though in the oaky creamy style.
2015 Auxey-Duresses 1er Clos du Val
Vines shared with Michel Prunier
Also a hint of oak but more fruit complexity too. Direct, faintly spiced less faintly oaked, but I have to say deliciously so. Round, sweet, giving. Long, sweetly long on juicy. Simply a delicious wine again!
2015 Monthélie 1er les Duresses
A wider nose, fresher too, no overt oak. Big, beautifully textured, delicious fruit. A fine fresh wave of finishing flavour. This a little more direct than the Clos du Val, no oak apparent. I prefer the shape and texture of this but still the complexity of the Clos du Val.
2015 Pommard Les Trois Follots
Hmm, this is a lovely nose, narrow but a little floral and exciting. Round, a slight cushioning, the faintest grain to the tannin, slightly creamy but fresh. A fine vibration of flavour in the finish too. Less overt than the previous two wines but fine and pure – yum!