Tasted in Auxey-Duresses with Sophie Laronze, 03 November, 2013.
Domaine Terres de Velle
Chemin sous la Velle
21190 Auxey-Duresses
Tel: +33 3 80 22 80 31
www.terresdevelle.fr
The 2016 harvest:
“The frost was not so bad for us here in Auxey, as we have old vines and they were anyway a little late – so not much growth to frost – but certainly in Meursault lost most, here we just had some (not enough!) cases which went into the bourgogne. 60mm of September rain was a benediction, and it meant that we could actually press the grapes and get juice of them, unlike in 2015”
The 2015:
“A vintage that was easier in the vines; treatments went well and the vines and grapes were clean. Of course the harvest date was important – we started on the 28th as the grapes were maturing very quickly, but we wanted to keep good freshness too. I had a little concern, as early in the elevage the whites seemed a little hard, but finally we have a nice balance and line – I think it’s a very nice vintage. But the volume still isn’t high – we only have 5 barrels more than in 2014, and 2014 was hailed. Volnay didn’t bring much but generally that was due to the relative lack of juice in the clusters which makes for great quality, but not so many bottles.”
Prices:
“Market for our wines is fine, but of course we don’t have enough wine from the last vintages… We increased the prices of 14s so we expect that we will probably keep the prices of 15s the same, as our harvest in 2016 is not so bad from the perspective of volume…”
The wines…
Red ‘Vins de Garde’ here this year, at this stage in their elevage, perhaps not showing their best. The whites were much easier to taste here today…
Cremant de Bourgogne
New here, is that they have started to bottle cremant too; 20% aligote, 25% pinot, the rest chardonnay mainly from one parcel in Meursault, and the majority from Auxey. The aligoté is quite old vines, which for a while was sold as grapes ‘as they weren’t a priority, despite being 80-years-old. It’s exactly the same vineyard work as for the rest of the domaine so in 2014 they decided to keep the grapes to make a cremant – extra brut was the plan. The wine has 14-15 months sur lattes and sees a ‘dose’ of 4 grams. The base wine is made here and then elaborated by a specialist. 3,000 bottles were produced in the first year.
2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
2 plots; the plain of Volnay, Monts Pulans and the other in Corpeau, in the plain of puligny.
A concentrated dark berry note. In the mouth this has quite some volume and fine, dry tannin too. A structured but comfortable wine. Dark fruit that needs just a hint more energy today – this to be bottled at the start of December. The finish is ingraining and interesting though…
2015 Auxey-Duresses
From Les Closeau just behind the domaine, on the hill. Afternoon sun here so needs a little more time before harvesting – also a plot that gave mot more than 30 hl/ha after three years of hail.
A wider nose with a little more freshness – also a dark fruit. Here is a little more freshness and energy – plenty of tannin again – a little textural drag rather than overt dryness. Bright and nicely finishing. Nicer wine if less obvious volume in the mouth.
2015 Volnay Ez Blanches
Small yield – 25 hl/ha. Ez blanches just above the Clos des Chênes.
A brighter red Fruit – very different, and quite pretty too. More silky before a little tannin joins in. Fresher but finer fruit, and a very lovely mid-palate acidity that carries the wine well into the finish. This is tasty, despite the base of tannin. Vins de garde here this year! Yum!
2015 Monthelie 1er Les Duresses
Easy to work with nice drainage and exposure. About 40-years-old vines in cordon royat.
A bright red-fruit nose. The tannin is ever-present, but softer, more mid-palate weight here. Really shows an extra level of quality in the finish with a wider panorama of red fruits. Again to wait for though.
2015 Volnay 1er Ronceret
A big punch of aroma – with a wider more herbed width of high tones. Fresh, direct, nice complexity, more-so in the mid-palate. Theres a little dry tannin in the finish, but this is a nice wine.
Les blancs…
2015 Bourgogne Chardonnay
From 1 vine in Corpeau and the other in Meursault les pellans, 55-years-old on average.
Fine fresh, faintly citrus. Mouth-filling, salinity, and citrus with a good texture. Really nice mid-palate complexity for the label. Really a super finish for a bourgogne too.
Maybe bottling this in December, from Les Sous Roche, on white soil and clay.
Fine mineral, subtle and pretty nose. Also mineral in the width, the impression of a little extra oak here – 25% – really excellent finishing. Super wine!!
2015 Auxey-Duresses Les Hautés
Bordering Meursault (Vireuils), very little soil above the mother rock.
A fresh nose, more width, more fruit – very attractive freshness. A little more weight and roundness of shape. Spiced and complex salinity in the mid-palate and finish. Definitely more complex, but I prefer the last today… A little tannin to finish, impressive and long!
2015 Meursault
From Crotots and Grands Charmes.
A fine and wide nose, here is definitely a Meursault character – very inviting too. Meursault flavour, some quite pronounced salinity, and wide in the finish. Lots to commend here.
2015 Chassagne-Montrachet La Platière
A hint of flowers to the freshness. Big in the mouth, but not fat. A line of complexity heading into the distance – really good in the mid-palate. Expressive, a little opulent but with fine freshness.
2015 Puligny-Montrachet
From Noroits and Les Levrons – old vines, over 55.
A clean, fresh and pretty nose. Fine on the palate, fresh, mineral, a little citrus, really good wine, almost structured and with a good precision. Yum!
80-year-old vines, on the limit of Auxey and Meursault, quite a red soil.
An extra depth of aroma, some yellow citrus notes. Very fine line of flavour with a little extra weight. Mineral but taut and precise. Excellent wine – really super. Opening out further in the finish too!
2015 Meursault 1er Charmes
From de Dessous, very old 80 vines – they deliver only half the authorised yields but always with a fine quality. Some repicage for those not producing, otherwise keeping. No new oak but then there was only 2 barrels…
A classic width of fresh Meursault aroma – perfect. In the mouth, full but supple, almost a suggestion of tannin, a slowly growing salinity, really a wine that keeps delivering more and more. The freshness/balance is modest but really enough – but this remains a contemplative if very rewarding wine!
2015 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Referts
Also about 55 year-old vines. One new barrel from 2.5.
A fresh, subtle and inviting nose, but with no really defining or overt feature. Wide, a nice texture, bubbling complexity and the complexity grows in this case adding plenty of barrel notes. Pretty finishing flavours, still barrel-tinged but very tasty wine.