Ardhuy – 2018

30.7.2020billn

Vincent Bottreau, Ardhuy 2020Tasted in Corgoloin with Vincent Bottreau, 17 June 2020.

Domaine D’Ardhuy
Clos Langres
21700 Corgoloin
Tel: +33 3 80 62 98 73
www.ardhuy.com
Other reports for Domaine d’Ardhuy.

A ‘catch-up’ with Vincent to take a short look at 2018s. I plan to go into a little more depth on his 2019s later in the year.

When Vincent first joined there was a pause the domaine’s certification, as he wanted to refresh the techniques that they used; initially working in an organic manner before returning to biodynamic ‘culture.’ The first certifications will return in 2023 – but in a ‘serene’ fashion he says – all with the help of a new chef de culture who previously worked with Chateau Corton André.

New tractors have already been purchased (for the domaine’s 125 different parcels) and they will have to cover quite some distance from north to south – Gevery to Puligny – but still with the objective of being able to treat the whole 38.5 ha domaine in a single day. They have HVE level 3 certification since 2019. Also, Vincent has a project to cartographically represent the major parcels of the domaine; ie in the Clos des Langres and the grand cru parcels. There’s also 1 ha per year of replacing vines and another ha of individual replacements. The domaine is not lacking ambition!

Vincent on 2018:
“All the wines were bottled by 13 March, finishing with GCs and Clos des Langres. It’s a generous vintage, which I think helped the balance of the wines – I think it helped with the freshness. Not too much extraction and the whites were harvested relatively early, pressed as whole grapes with fermentation in barrel. I used fewer whole clusters – around 15-20% were used in 2018 versus up to 100% in 2017 – pragmatically, as there may not have been enough place in the tanks if all the stems had been included! We are also still renewing our barrel ‘park’ with less toasting and a little less new oak. It’s an interesting vintage because I wasn’t completely happy with the aromatics of the wines until the malo – there wasn’t much malic acid to convert, of course, but it changed everything – it was practically magic – finally wines that I was attracted to.”

The wines…

No single wine shouted out its greatness in this tasting – perhaps due to the Coravin, but all were excellent in the context of the vintage – and thats quite an achievement. Great work!

Vincent is using more and more DIAM for the whites – now more than half of them – all the wine with an ‘ambition’ to save in the cellar is still sealed with cork. The response from customers, so far, is positive and they will keep moving stepwise. NDtec corks for 2019. All wines poured via Coravin which is not the best for their aromatics, but they do blossom with time in the glass:

2018 Ladoix
From 4 different parcels. DIAM5 – different permeabilities for reds and whites.
A modest red colour for the vintage. The nose starts a little indistinct but with attractive red fruit. Medium intensity – but growing. Red fruit, a modest grain of tannin. The best part is the energy and fun to be found in the finish – here it’s open and delicious.

2018 Ladoix Clos des Chagnots
A monopole of 2.35 hectares. Also DIAM.
Just a little more colour. More concentration of red fruit on this nose. Fuller, more mouth-filling – a pleasing freshness and energy to the flavour. Again the finish is impressive – density and complexity – persistence a given. Excellent.

2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Peuillets
Here’s the ripest and earliest ripening of the domaine’s Savignys – Guettes & Narbantons included in the others.
Plenty of colour. A bigger nose – more profound, practically a little cushioning. Supple, a modest grain of tannin, great finishing again. Lovely Savigny with none of the ‘Savigny herb.’

2018 Côte de Nuits Villages Clos des Langres
3.14 hectares.
A little less depth of colour. The nose needs a little air but quickly gains an inviting complexity – there’s about 20% wc in this too. A little more structural but offset by the depth of flavour and fruit. Modestly oaked and certainly a young wine. That’s still a good finish – like the other wines.

2018 Corton Renardes
An important producer of this wine – 1.6 ha – ‘This was a wine that I found rather strict when I came to the domaine and worked to reduce that, more by infusion – less pigeage hoping for a more supple wine.’
The colour is not so deep, yet the nose certainly has depth, faintly herbed – of interest. Mouth-filling beyond its colour; layered, supple indeed, lots of concentration. Remaining ‘present’ in the finish – such a good finish!

2018 Corton Pougets
In a good year two barrels! ‘For me there’s a fineness of tannins that make this stand out.’
More colour. A nose with a little more impact and complexity – but initially a diffuse impression. Driving, open, architectural, the structure a classic Corton – really concentrated – almost chewy – finishing. Impressively long.

2018 Corton Clos du Roi
2 parcels almost 1 hectare.
Plenty of colour – like the Pougets – but still not deeply coloured. A little more floral – as is often the case. Suave, there’s tannin but still silky – or at least of velvet. A sophisticated structure and a finish that grows and grows like the other wines.

2018 Clos de Vougeot
From 0.55 ha in Petits Maupertuis but progressively replanting as it’s a very old vine – ‘There’s quality but there’s not an acceptable volume – we have to live!’
Plenty of colour. Airy, floral but also with a concentrated depth of aroma. A round wine, mouth-filling, the structure is very well hidden – for that reason not a classic CV at this age. But a great, great finish. Simply excellent wine.

Les blancs…

2018 Ladoix Blanc
Blend of Combottes, Chaillots and Chagnots. DIAM-sealed – a mix of stainless-steel and barrel elevage.
Modest colour. That’s a bright, fresh and attractive nose. Mouth-filling, attractively mouth-watering with a lovely citrus energy. The finish widening over the palate – this entirely typical of 2018 whites – all over Burgundy – but less so the reds as here.

2018 Ladoix 1er Le Rognet
Monopole in 1er cru, cork-sealed. All new oak, about 6k bottles.
More depth, a little more oak and/or alcohol here. Mouth-filling presence a lovely mineral aspect to this. The aroma coming through on the palate – I would carafe – the shape, balance and intensity are super.

2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune Clos Godeaux
DIAM and all new oak
This is a very much more attractive nose – starting a little floral, though then becomes a little more serious. A little extra gas on the palate, then an easy and quite lovely flavour, modestly citrus and mineral, great finishing. That’s a lovely bottle!

2018 Corton-Charlemagne
Over 2 ha. A blend of Pougets, Carrieres, Rognets and Languettes.
A broader nose, good freshness, almost an almond, nutty impression, to the core. Transparent, mouth-filling, a structural style but without harshness. There’s a certain mineral style here, perhaps with some additional oak flavour but not overt. Great finishing too. This will be excellent.

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