Tasted in Meursault Champs Lins with Brigitte & Thomas Berthemelot, 29 September 2022.
Domaine Brigitte Berthelemot
24 Rue des Forges
BP 30008
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 68 61
www.domaineberthelemot.com
More reports with Domaine Brigitte Berthelemot
Brigitte started from scratch 15 years ago – in 2007. “It was a dream for 30 years but with 4 kids and a husband working in Paris it remained a dream. But I went to the Lycee Agricole and almost took on some vines in Vouvrey but waited 10 more years until my last daughter left home and I had the support of my husband. Jean Garaudet was my contact and whose vines I took over. Then a friend of his said you can take over my vines too. The peak was when I got someone to work with me. We had a small place here but less than half the size of what we have now – our tanks arrived just in time for our harvest. I wanted to find some grand cru when Thomas said he wanted to follow me – but to do that you have to buy a domaine – so it gets more expensive!”
Brigitte and Thomas on 2021:
“21 first vintage of organic conversion. 21 was about 1/3rd of a normal harvest. The hill of Corton wasn’t so bad – we had about half a harvest here, except Sous Fretille which was terrible.”
The wines…
A classy address though with fewer wines in 2021 – the Charlemagne is another great one though!
All whites are bottled since July – “so easy to taste,” says Brigitte. Sealed, since 2019, with DIAM – 5 and 10 – 54mm for the 1er crus.
2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay Lepartie
From Puligny commune, a single parcel on the ‘right side’ of the route nationale.
A nice, easy, higher-toned but ripe citrus fruit. Round and concentrated with a very tasty middle and finishing flavour.
2021 Meursault
This year, from Narvaux, Tillets and Vireuils – normally Tillets is separate but the volume was too low in 2021.
A similar fruit but with more width and depth. A pear-style fruit, faintly spiced – flavour that insinuates but is never strident or ‘acidic.’ Beautifully balanced flavour for 21 – there’s no obvious extra acidity.
2021 Puligny-Montrachet Les Levrons
The oldest white parcel – 1947 – of the domaine, the situation is quite flat but with good drainage. Usually a parcel with smaller grapes.
Wide and lemon-yellow citrus-fruited, faint white flower perfume. Easy in the mouth, plenty of volume, a hint diffuse today but keep this wine for a time and enjoy. it’s clearly delicious.
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Abbaye de Morgeot
More volume of aroma with narrow flashes of citrus. This is obviously next level in the mouth – with depth of flavour, finer texture, and long slow diminuendo of flavour – almost haunting. Simply lovely wine…
Not the widest but with an enviable clarity of fine citrus aroma – aromatic energy too. Seamless, growing in intensity, vibrant, almost dynamic middle and finishing flavour – this is a great plot year-in, year-out.
And a few 20s…
2020 Meursault
The normal 2 parcels
Faintly ginger spiced – yes! Fresh, lovely energy – there’s not a massive difference in shape between this and the 21 – which shows how well they have handled the two vintages.
2020 Puligny-Montrachets 1er Folatières
More direct, with a deeper aromatic – very complex. A little more richness, certainly plenty of volume and fine texure. Nicely complex finishing and good length. Very primary but in great shape.
Les Reds:
2021 Volnay
From Le Village
A compote of beautiful red fruit aroma. Open, fresh energy – that’s got plenty of concentration but without richness. Fine and flightly but still with intent. Keep – really excellent!
2021 Beaune 1er Bressandes
Wider aromatics, much more soft fruit. Like the Volnay it’s direct and concentrated but not fat. This is a powerful Beaune but without excess in any direction – “It’s 14° but we couldn’t harvest earlier as it wasn’t ripe!“