Tasted in Savigny with the sisters Juliette & Caroline Chenu – sorry that it wasn’t a better photo! – 19 July 2022.
Domaine Louis Chenu Père et Filles
12 rue Joseph de Pesquidoux
21420 Savigny-lès-beaune
Tel: +33 3 80 26 13 96
www.louischenu.com
More reports for Domaine Louis Chenu Père et Filles
Juliette on 2022 – so far:
“The 22s have the effect of compensating for the frost in 2021 – the yield looks potentially large – more the reds than whites as the whites weren’t as much affected by the frost. So far we’re looking like it will be a very good vintage, with some small blocking, perhaps, the harvest won’t be before the 27th – there are more grapes on the vines than 2020 too so that will take a little extra time to ripen. If there’s plenty of rain in August it could ripen very quickly. Currently, it’s looking a little like 2018 in terms of volume and possibly ripening.”
Juliette & Caroline on 2021:
“2021 – a very small if not quite catastrophic volume – we have about 27 hl/ha so certainly half a harvest – honestly I detest the year as it started badly and continued badly but I have to say the wines are much better than my memories of the year and I think the smaller volume helped them to ripen properly – I was worried but they are fresh, precise and medium weight – they are good.”
Juliette & Caroline on 2020:
“Another smaller volume vintage – that was down to the dryness because the flowering wasn’t too bad – the skins were thick which was fine for the tannins and the colour but lacking some juice volume. The whites were a little more blocked than the reds so we harvested them last which was lucky as there was some heavy rain before the end of August and that unlocked the maturity and we gained 1-1.5° in less than a week… The whites had more juice than the reds and have a certain richness and maybe not the purity of 2019 but they have immediate pleasure, I think.”
The wines…
Juliette & Caroline really nailed it with their description “they have immediate pleasure” – indeed, and some are worth a special search if you are looking the bulk out your cellar with top-quality wines at attractive prices.
All are bottled of course. They are not using any sulfur during the fermentations of the whites; only a first addition after the malo. “I like the long, cold fermentations that we have and it brings more complexity,” says Caroline. These bottled after about 11 months:
2020 Bourgogne Aligoté
Old vines, over 60, in Boutières – deep soil producing a slightly non-standard wine. Now Nomacorc as had too many returns ‘despite not cheap corks.’
Here’s a very attractive and high-toned perfume – a lovely invitation. Supple, nicely weighted, a little savoury dimension and beautifully mineral and vibrant – such a moreish finish! Excellent wine…
2020 Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Bruchots
At the limit of the Hautes Côtes near Bouze-les-Beaune in this limestone area, the vines are nearly 40 years old. Barrel elevage but none new.
Here’s another fine and perfumed nose – lovely citrus purity. Volume but also energy in the mouth – mineral, lots of citrus activity. The finish is pure, mineral and with good energy too – I’d wait 6 months before attacking but that’s going to be delicious!
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc Les Saucours
There’s a little pinot blanc co-planted here – less than 10% – two parcels the older 55-years-old and the younger more like 25, blended in the bottom of Savigny near the large wooden Saint Vincent.
A fainter nose though with a lovely perfume – more white flowers than the citrus of the last. Super shape in the mouth – open, fluid, mineral but not with rigour – but with a citrus skin type of register for the fresh-finishing flavours.
Les Reds:
Three parcels; Chevrières plus some from Hautes Côtes near Gollardes ‘practically in the forest – Perrières,’ the third parcel in the plain in Aloxe Boutières where the aligoté also comes from.
A very fruity nose – clean and attractive, growing in depth. Silky, direct, there’s intensity here, staying direct in the finish, almost a graphite minerality – that’s really a super Bourgogne – bravo.
2020 Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Beaumonts
Rented these vines from aunt Hugette since 2007 and bought about 3-4 years ago. Here is a little barrel elevage but none new – the only domaine parcel outside of Savigny – always sold out…
This wine introduces itself with a more elegant width – becoming quite perfumed. More mouth-filling, faintly framed with a small tannin but with a vibrant finishing intensity – I love the energy here – slightly rustic in style but refreshingly delicious and concentrated – excellent wine.
Multiple parcels, a mix of plain and hillside vines.
Airy, perfumed, top notes and here the aromas major on the depth. Here is a luxurious width and depth of flavour – holding a persistent depth of finishing flavour – give this 6-24 months of rest in your cellar and enjy for at least another 15 years – really a super wine, bravo!
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Talmettes
Reminiscent of the previous nose but in this case with an extra red berry component. Rounder, more sophisticated in texture, growing in intensity – also a width of extra intense finishing flavour. That’s a super wine…
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Le Clous
‘A patchwork of vine ages’ and the biggest cuvée of the 1ers here. South-facing with quite deep soil.
An open nose is really an easy introduction. A little more impact in the mouth versus the Talmettes which is always round. Nicely vibrant and complex flavours – that’s very easy to enjoy today – really a lovely wine again and already delicious despite a very faint ‘halo’ of tannin…
There’s no Lavières in 2020 – but it’s back in 2021…
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Aux Jarrons
Hmm – this is a fine invitation – a little more aromatic concentration and a hint of spice that I havn’t seen in the previous wines. This sits beautifully in the mouth, mobile, almost fluid lovely energy. That’s an absolutely delicious, generous wine…