Tasted in Fixin with Amélie Berthaut, 16 October 2015.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
9 Rue Noisot
21220 Fixin
Tel: +33 3 80 52 45 48
www.domaine-berthaut.com
Amélie has decided to make some changes since I visited last July: “In 2015 there are more new wines from my grandmother; Chambolle 1er, Clos de Vougeot and Vosne Les Suchots, and so, from this vintage all our wines will then be labelled Berthaut–Gerbet, including the Fixins to keep alive my grandparents’ name.”
Amélie on 2015:
“This vintage was a very nice experience. It started for us the 7th September and finished on the 21st – at the end we were waiting for the Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits – and also waiting for the rain to stop – maybe the grapes were even better after the rain! For Fixin Les Crais half was harvested before the rain and half afterwards – I’m looking forward to seeing what the differences will be. These baby wines are balanced, despite lots of sugar to start with, I don’t expect that this good balance should change much, as there is a low malic acid level. We didn’t try to extract, more a remontage to infuse, plus a few whole clusters to see. The colours are mainly deep but lets see how they have held after the malolactic fermentation. Unfortunately there wasn’t much quantity in 2015, in some vineyards 50% less, so it was lucky that there was very little to triage. We had a brand new triage table that was almost redundant!”
Amélie on 2014:
“2014 was also jolie. Less complicated and, for me, certainly less stressful than 2013. Good grapes with good phenolic ripeness and fortunately a good quantity too. Some have only just finished malos as this is a cold cellar. We will mainly sulfur this afternoon, after we finish tasting!”
The wines…
2014 Fixin
A blend of multiple village parcels, malo done in concrete tank. Will be bottled in winter.
Deep, wide but aromatically a little tight. Lovely width here, lots of complexity, some of it quite mineral.
2014 Fixin Les Crais
Deep, a little reduction, not yet racked. Too much gas to say much but after you spit there’s a very fine clarity and width of flavour.
Old vines with tiny grapes – since 13 separated from the Fixin blend ‘Only from old vines, it merits separation.’ About 30% whole clusters used here.
A bright red fruit that goes deep, fresh, a beautiful dimension of extra fruit flavour – also in the finish – really something this wine.
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Chézeaux
Again a mix of malo locations, concrete and barrel (50%) – here in barrel again. Changed to all barrel with 15s which have all now been in barrel for about a week.
Wide, a little tight aroma. Wide in the mouth too, perhaps more over structure but with a salty entry and a little minerality. This needs more time.
From 2 parcels – Aux Réas and Au-Dessus de la Rivière – vinified separately until the malo, this the blend. No whole cluster, malo finished only 2 months ago, and then sulfured.
Wide, padded, beautifully classic Vosne nose. Direct, silky, growing intensity.lovely weight of mp flavour. Really super wine, but I’ve a sneaking feeling I prefer the Fixin Combe today.
2014 Fixin 1er Les Arvelets
Deep colour. Reduced, a little gas too, but this is lithe wine that slides nicely over the palate. Plenty of tannin, but barely grained and nothing dry – like all here so far. Fine fresh finishing fruit flavours. This will be super.
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Cazetiers
No whole clusters…
There’s a hint of reduction but I also find excitement too. Growing fresher and a little floral – very nice. Wide, open with a slowly growing concentration. Open and complex with an intriguing note of coffee in the finish. Too, easy? Its super complex so probably not!
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacques
Made with 30% whole clusters.
Deeply perfumed nose with a nod towards the whole clusters – textured and rather gorgeous despite a little barrel emphasis. The barrel influence is more obvious in the flavour, almost a coconut impression, but overall is good weight and texture, nicely fresh too. And this is a barrel from 2012! Fine length.
2014 Vosne-Romanée Les Petits Monts
Still a selection of parcels, all the work by hand as it’s too narrow and steep, even for a horse. Are testing a wired plough with the help of Olivier Lamy – ‘lovely red earth underneath, that’s probably not seen the light of day for at least 20 years, probably 30!’
Deep, fresh, a little mineral. This is lithe on the palate but slowly fills the mouth with very fine, not dry tannin. I find it rather tight, but it opens out beautifully. One to wait for.
2014 Echézeaux
From Les Treux.
Just sulfured, so try another day…
A white?
2013 Fixin Les Champs de Charme Blanc
Same area as the Crais, a very stony vineyard towards Brochon. 100% chardonnay planted in 2009, 2014 was the first real harvest. Fermented in barrel then racked in September into a tank.
Round, rich, supple but with very good balance too. Good depth of aroma with a faint acid edge to the fruit that’s very becoming. Tasty!