Profile: Domaine Poisot Père et Fils (Aloxe)

Update 8.12.2016(17.12.2013)billn

I first met Remi Poisot at his new UK agent’s tasting in London in May (notes also appended). He was very personable and was reinvigorating a family domaine that was largely known only to négociants – before that he was a Captain in the Navy. I was sure that it would be worth following-up with Remi and his story in Burgundy…

Hideaway in Aloxe...
Hideaway in Aloxe…
Whilst the domaine’s office is in Beaune, the visit took place the cellars of an old, seemingly empty Chateau hidden down a quiet road in Aloxe-Corton – opposite the Château Corton-Grancey of Louis Latour – the premises are actually owned by part of the Latour family, who are Remi’s cousins via his grandparents. Remi’s great grandparents were indeed Latours, and part of their original domaine is now within Louis Latour, other parts came through family members, mainly through Dr Marcel Poisot. Given Remi’s heritage, it is hardly surprising that there are some very interesting vines in his portfolio: Romanée-Saint Vivant, Corton-Bressandes, Corton-Charlemagne, and 1er crus from Pernand – there are only 2 hectares of vines, but that’s not a bad selection to start with! Starting in 1985, Remi’s father had made wine before him, but sold in barrel – the source of many a négoce RSV and others…

Remi started as a (wine) trainee in 2009 with a family friend in Aloxe – Frank Follin – it is in Frank’s winery where Remi did his fermentations, pressings and keeps his tanks – only the barrels are in this hidden outpost of Aloxe.

Vines and wines

poisot-rsv

As noted, Remi has only 2 hectares of vines – lucky for him that they are mainly grand cru – but, as such, he’s also open to négoce opportunities if they arise; he has a little Saint Aubin 2011, for instance, but he notes that it is difficult to get sufficient grapes to do everything himself, so relies on getting must – so far.

In his vines, Remi is very happy to be described as ‘très raisonée’ but he notes ‘as the conditions allow, but I use no herbicides or insecticides.’ He is also lucky that his vines have good average ages: RSV ~40 years, Pernand ~45 years and Bressandes/Charlemagne almost 60 years. This means that when suitable he’s happy to use some whole clusters in his fermentations. Afterwards he ages mainly in François Frères barrels; 50% new wood is the target for his grand crus, but given his low volumes it can vary between 40 and 60%.

In two sections; the first tasted in London in May 2013, the second in Aloxe-Corton in July 2013:

2011 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeaux Rouge
Bottled in February 2013.
P. In the mouth this is round, a little salty and full of flavour which gradually tails-off on a long diminuendo – quite nice.

2010 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeaux Rouge
A lovely blend of cherries and flowers on the nose. Here is a lovely wine, with plenty of minerality, energy and an understated base of tannin. Excellent!

2011 Corton Bressandes
Was bottled in March 2013.
P again. The flavours have good intensity, but could perhaps benefit from a bit more focus – the flavours are long though – perhaps this is still suffering from the bottling…

2011 Romanée-St.Vivant
Bottled early in April 2013.
P. Here is a wine with a very fine balance – not super-powerful but with a lovely, insinuating depth of flavour. The finish has authority and delivers understated but pretty red fruit.

Tasted Aloxe-Corton:

2012 Corton-Charlemagne
Normally there is enough here for 9-10 barrels, but only due to coulure, they harvested sufficient material for 4.5 barrels. These vines sit just above the village of Ladoix
Aromatically this is lovely with plenty of high-toned interest. In the mouth it is equally pretty if not that powerful – that said, there is too much CO2 to be definitive.

2011 Corton-Charlemagne
P (a very rare white with the taint) and a hint of SO2 too. In the mouth this has a nice intensity and the panorama widens and widens in the mid-palate and onwards – there is a nice mineral aspect too – very good!

2011 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er En Caradeaux Rouge
P. The nose is deep and dark, but that’s probably just the reduction speaking – seems quite interesting though. Lots of wine here, plenty of ripe tannin and lots of energy too – this is impressing today.

2011 Corton-Bressandes
P. The nose has a depth of graphite and dark fruit. Rather silky with depth of flavour, some tannin and just a prickle of CO2 on the end of the tongue. Quite structured wine if still more elegance than the Pernand. The flavour seems to grow and grow, and the last drops in the glass offer-up very pretty red fruits. Yum!

2011 Romanée St.Vivant
The nose is wide, a little spicy, understated, but fine – it slowly grows in complexity and rounds-out in the glass. Round in the mouth too, again with a slight prickle of CO2. An unstrained, subtle style but with everything in-place. This should be worth the wait – the last drops in the glass have a gorgeous perfume.

Domaine Poisot Père et Fils
14, avenue Charles Jaffelin
21200 Beaune
Tel. : +33 (0)3 80 21 16 91
Email: remipoisot@domaine-poisot.fr
www.domaine-poisot.fr

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