Tasted with Jane Eyre in Meursault, 20 July 2015. It was a ‘secret’ at the time, but in August, just in time for the 2015 harvest, she moved to a new cuverie in the Château de Bligny.
Maison Jane Eyre
Château de Bligny
14 Grande rue
21200 Bligny-lès-Beaune
For the last vintages, Jane’s cuverie was in Meursault where she shared a winery with Dominique Lafon – actually the Meursault-based négoce business of Dominique Lafon. Jane’s contact with Lafon began when she did harvest at Lafon in 2002, indeed Jane has done various harvests in Burgundy since her first at Domaine Chevrot in 1998. Jane has also managed a wine store in Melbourne, whilst doing a wine-making degree. Jane has also worked with Ernie Loosen in 2003, but that was the only European harvest vintage not in Burgundy. Asking Lafon if it was possible to arrange anything here in Burgundy, Jane ended up with a 3 month role which eventually became 1 year, but there were also harvests with Frederic Mugnier, the Montilles and Christopher Newman.
Eventually, with a push from another winemaker, Jane began her négoce business with the 2011 vintage – starting with 5 barrels of Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Vergelesses. Due to hail there was only 2 barrels in 2012, and in 2013 there was nothing…
Everything here is destemmed and there is no planned pre-fermentation maceration, though Jane notes that her current setup anyway needs 4-5 days before it starts fermenting. ”Other than that there may be a couple of pigeages, manual of-course, and that’s about it. I’m not wanting oak to dominate a wine, so new barrels can be as high as 20-30% of the total..”
Production totaled 15 barrels in 2014 – with a little Volnay in that total too. Half of the production went to Australia in the first year, now it’s closer to one-third. About one-quarter goes to the US and the rest is sold in France.
The wines…
What a lovely set of wines – all beautifully textured and ‘giving’ – even the Corton. I would drink these any day of the week!
2014 Côte de Nuits Villages
This starts a little reductive, slowly becoming brighter in the glass and showing ever-prettier red fruit. Lovely in the mouth, a nice line of acidity but with lovely energy and flavour perspective – very pretty wine indeed – yum!
2014 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Vergelesses
Bright and deep, pretty too, with a lovely weight of red fruit below. Vibrant with lovely intensity and complexity – the acid is to the fore a little today, but gorgeous wine all the same. Good finishing and with no bitterness.
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1
From ‘older’ vines; a blend of about 5 parcels – this parcel is from the village side of the road.
Bigger, still bright, darker red fruit takes on a forward floral scent. A lovely freshness again, but it’s got a lovely weight and depth of flavour. Excellent.
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 2
This parcel is from other side of the road – if I remember correctly, these two will be mixed together.
Here the nose is tighter yet hinting at more weight. Not so special aromatically today, but to contrast, this is lovely in the mouth, super fruit with just a hint more texture to the tannin today – it’s early days yet this tastes great…
2013 Aloxe-Corton
From one parcel next to Boutières, 3 barrels-worth, none new. Bottled Nov.2013.
A discreet nose, wide, textured, with insinuating fruit. Lovely extra impact and intensity in the mid-palate. Some texture but also a counter-balancing vivacity. Tasty!
2013 Gevrey-Chambertin
A really intense and perfectly defined blackcurrant note. Really fruity, but also a wine with energy, indeed verve – lovely flavours with a hint of tannic texture – lovely
2013 Corton Renardes
Here is 33% new oak, though it’s just 1 of the 3 barrels.
Lovely fruit, brightness yet roundness and depth too. Beautiful combination of weight and texture. Super mid-palate fruit, again. Excellent Corton, yet also easily accessible Corton.
2011 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Vergelesses
No new oak, Chassin barrels as usual – Jane’s first vintage.
Hmm, less well-defined aromas than the last, but interesting and inviting – no pyrazine either. Round, quite lush and intense – a little more tannic texture good finishing intensity. A wine with just a little less focus but no less tastiness…