Tasted in Givry with André & Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux Montrieux, 21 September 2022.
Domaine Thénard
7 Rue de L’Hôtel de Ville
71640 Givry
Tel: +33 3 85 44 31 36
More reports with Baron Thénard.
André & Jean Baptiste on the 2022 vintage:
“In Givry we had lower volume than in the Côte d’Or but the Givry was very ripe – 15° in some places. In the côte d’Or we had more volume but the alcohols there were closer to 13°. Volumes were huge in 2018 – but we were not at that level. 2019 was good for us but the last full vintage for Givry was 2016 – here there was no frost!”
André & Jean Baptiste on the 2021 vintage:
“A terrible year. Rain, rain. My father was ill, my grandfather recently died and nobody wanted to go into the vines in the first part of the year – it was only 25% of a normal harvest – and the wines were hard to taste before the malo but then I was pleasantly surprised – we had something very nice! The average volume was only 12 hl/ha in Givry in 2021, and only 12 barrels of all the whites retained for the domaine – I never saw that before, and hopefully, I never will again. The market has never been so good but the stocks have never been so low. ”
The wines…
Some of the (red) Givrys were definitely harder to taste at this stage than was the case for the 2019 and 2020s – but the whites put on a ‘bravo’ performance!
The domaine is, commercially, still selling 2019s and 2020s – they are not even thinking of 2021 allocations – in fact, some of the 2020s are still to be bottled. Starting with some 21 reds: bottling maybe mid-year:
2021 Givry
Red fruit and perfume – not the power of some vintages but very attractive. Supple, energy, vibrant, slightly metallic/mineral in the finish. Hmm – thats a juicily attractive wine.
2021 Givry Les Bois Cheveaux
Appellation from the 12th century – nearly 8 ha here. Tasted from foudre.
Here the nose is more herbal and green. In the mouth, it’s also showing tighter and more serious today. ‘Yes, we won’t be bottling this until later – with 2 years of elevage.’
2021 Givry Clos Cellier aux Moines
Starting the use of more 350-litre barrels – they are still easy to manoeuvre and ‘they work well with the wine’
A slightly graphite mineral note on the nose, faintly from the barrel too. Hmm, this is more lush and deep flavoured, mineral but not metallic, faintly creamy too – I think that this will be lovely.
2021 Givry Clos St.Pierre
Near Bois Cheveaux – above and more rocky – a monopole.
Some green, herbal, style to the first notes. This is the wine with the best combination of shape and texture – stll accented by the tannin but not obviously grainy.
From barrel:
This and the Corton came to the domaine about 1930, via Louis Thénard
Ooh, now that’s an attractive, layered, fine ripe fruit aroma. Sleek but with concentration, this wine has energy and a little minerality – it’s going to be, at least, excellent!
2021 Corton Clos du Roi
More airy and open top notes, extra depth and growing in purity. Wide, with a little, part-hidden, muscle. This needs time but it also seems to have everything!
2021 Grands-Echézeaux
‘We have a plant that doesn’t have a big acidity’ Tasted from a 350-l barrel
A little spicy oak in the aroma but probably mixed with the spice of the place too! Beautiful over the palate the texture here is so rewarding, pure, and concentrated, with slow-moving waves of fine and complex flavour. This will be excellent, rewarding, wine.
2019 Givry 1er Bois de Cheveaux
Commercial since July…
A vibrant width of aroma, with some roasted red fruit notes. Mouth-filling, lots of sweetness to this fruit with a roasted impression here too. Very tasty for sure if less classic pinot than the 2021s!
Les Whites:
There are only 2 barrels!
A little barrel spice but also lots of fresh energy – very attractive! Hmm, thats actually delicious – a shame that there is so little.
Less spice, more concentration in the width. Supple, extra concentration here too – some vintages Givry blanc can be very different, but this is another great wine!
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean
Barrel elevage that’s finished in tank – this tasted from barrel.
The faint spice barrel but also there’s concentration and direction to these aromas – thats fine! More overtly mineral to add to the mouthwatering style, a really vibrant finishing flavour. Yum!
A compendium note based of the different coopers – they are always blended:
“Only 50% new oak as my job as to show the terroir, Its a small crop this year but I have my regular 4 coopers as I think the blend is always superior:”
Perfumed, vertical, aromatics though some oak spice too. Concentrated flavours that are ripe but also floral, vibrant and mineral, melting across the palate. It has all the constituent parts to be a great wine.