Ambroise – 2014

Update 24.12.2015(23.12.2015)billn

DSC08942Tasted in Premeaux with François Ambroise, 10 December 2015.

Maison Ambroise
8, rue de l’Eglise
21700 Premeaux Prissey
Tel: +33 3 80 62 30 19
www.ambroise.com

I enjoyed the 2013s so much earlier this year, that I though it a ‘must’ to come and see the 2014s – I was well rewarded!

François on 2015:
“15 we started relatively late; 10 September. I waited because the tannins weren’t quite ripe – particularly the pips – but they did improve very quickly. We have fine acidities and good balance. Finished 22nd September. The quality was super, nice grapes, easy to vinify.”

François on 2014:
14 started quite late, the 17th September, yields a little like 15 – a good amount of chardonnay but low on pinot – 30% lower. We’ve lost one harvest on the last 4. We don’t ask high prices because we need to sell as finances are pressured, but we are still losing long-term clients because of the general direction of pricing. Back to the vintage, the wines are very accessible, not austere, some rot, we were treating quite late, but the last weeks, indeed September made a great difference.

The wines…

“All destemmed a little cool maceration – 5 days minimum – finish quite hot to stabilise the colour et-cetera. Makes the wines much rounder than before, we are also much softer with the wines than before which brings more accessibility, but the old wines kept very well and are really great with 20 years of aging.”

Lots of 400 litre barrels are used in elevage here, and the domaine has been certified bio since 2013.

2014 Bourgogne Rouge
In bottle. They own almost 7 hectares of Bourgogne, all this from Premeaux – was bottled this week.
A good depth, concentrated too. Really excellent texture, more villages level, the fruit more direct and mineral though. And very long – yum!

2014 Cote de Nuits Villages
From Premeaux and Corgoloin with some old vines.
Heres a much more inviting nose. Again super silky, but concentrated, balanced, intense and a little cushioned – this is really excellent! “Yep, I like this cuvee a lot, it always lasts easily 10-15 years too.”

2014 Nuits St.Georges
From 4 parcels between Nuits and Premeaux.
Deep, but finely fruited with an attractive. Brighter, wide and fresh yet floral and super attractive fruit. This is super-lovely – and really modestly structured for Nuits.

2014 Beaune 1er Tuvillains
About 70% hailed but fortunately no rot.
A super wide and floral nose. Also a beautiful textured, round, giving, super-tasty wine with a particularly beautiful mid-palate flavour – long and passionate wine…

2014 Vosne-Romanée aux Damaudes
Deep with a hint of spice. Big, impressive just an inflection of reduction today, but spicy, complex and tasty wine. This will be very good. Fresh and tasty finishing too.

2014 Nuits St.Georges 1er Vaucrains
Next to the St.Georges of Liger-Belair
A silky, tighter nose but with dark fruit. Bright and incisive, just a hint of tannin but very fine texture, direct and impressive – really impressive. I find the finishing complexity fabulous. Yum!

2014 Corton Le Rognets
Domaine, a 0.66 hectare parcel.
Deep, deep, deep – slowly opening with pretty flowers. Direct, fresh a line of mouth-watering flavour slowly melting over the palate then pow! A beautiful mid-palate and finishing burst of joy – great!
2014 Clos de Vougeot
From 0.17 hectares of rented vines towards the top-left of the Clos, next to the wall shared with Grands-Echézeaux.
A faint spice and a guarded depth – lovely. Big, supple, layers of flavour, wide and complex really extra, extra complex. Not massive but gorgeous.

Les blancs…

2014 Côteaux Bourguignone, Lettre d Eloïse
Named after Ludovine’s daughter. Also from Premeaux; chardonnay, all in tank, 10 months elevage.
Bright, ripe, melon. Good shape in the mouth, ripe but fresh. This is a super easy-drinking wine with character. Yum.

2014 Bourgogne Chardonnay
Vines in Premeaux, just 0.21 hectares of chardonnay near the Côteaux Bourguignone, half elevage in barrel.
A modest toast on the nose, precise and very attractive nose. Lithe, mineral, sweet at the edges, long. Great quality here – really!
2014 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits
All in barrel
Fresh at the top, more guarded below. But nice. Fresh in the mouth, dances nicely over the palate, layers of pretty, fresh but cushioned flavour. Excellent again!.
2014 Côtes de Nuits
Only 2 barrels. A little behing the Clos de Marechale.
Deep, richly but freshly fruited. Round in the mouth with a fine bubbly complexity – there’s precision here and a sumptuously fresh texture – excellent!

2014 Saint Romain
A tighter nose but of decent and fresh width. Bright, intense, penetrating flavour – really lots of energy here. Super bright finishing. If you’re looking for pow and zing this is really your wine!

2014 Ladoix 1er Les Grechons
Just under the quarry of magny les villars. Bought for many years from this grower. Deep, much riper nose with some pineapple. Round, mouth-filling rich too. But this is balanced and concentrated. Large-scaled wine, very well made and balanced but personally I prefer the smaller wines. Good finish.

2014 Nuits St.Georges 1er Terres Blanches
All chardonnay, next to Patrice Rion above Perdrix.
Fresh and faintly inflected with an oak-style reduction. Also rich but very well balanced, a little minerality in the padding a little oak flavour too. Long, long. A super vintage for this terroir.

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