Comte Armand – 2016

30.11.2017billn

Tasted in Pommard with Paul Zinetti, 03 November 2017.

Comte Armand – Domaine des Epeneaux  
7 Rue de la Mairie
21630 Pommard
Tel: +33 3 80 24 70 50
www.domaine-comte-armand.com

Paul Zinetti on 2017:
It’s good! A good harvest – 30 hl/ha in the Clos – I’m happy with that. Our other vineyards brought in about 45 hl/ha. We have good quality as there was the maturity – we could have waited longer – but it was ready with 12.7-12.8°. In the end we had 13.5° or a bit less after fermentation. Some of the malos are quite quick. There are virtually no old vintages left to offer, we are really replenishing the stock with the 17.

Paul Zinetti on 2016:
2016 brought us from 9 hectares – let’s count them – 32 barrels! That’s the same as the hailed vintage of 2013 – but what we harvested was fresh and very pinot. there was no big extraction with 2016s, the wines have less ‘weight’ than 2015, but I’d say that they are more Burgundian. I think they will make great wines, but psychologically it was a hard year, a tiring year. Allocations are not so hard for 2016 as we already did the same work in the hailed vintages! Will think about bottling in the new year, for now all are still on their lees in barrel.

The wines…

2016 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru
Assembly of Bretrins with a chalky soil and Bas des Duresses where there’s more clay and soil depth. But still light soils. Grapes vinified together, 10% whole-cluster.. Racked 1 week ago…
Round, a certain density. Ooh, a burst of juiciness, then a long, saline-inflected depth of flavour. Lovely.

2016 Volnay 1er Fremiets
from two parcels – one of young vines of 30 years, the other 90. Only 2 barrels, normally there is 5 or 6 – 15% whole-clusters, mainly to help the volume in the tank. No new oak.
A broader, whole-cluster perfume of roses and red fruit. Concentrated a little more sucrosity. Lots of fine energy. This is really a top wine.
Young vine Clos des Epeneaux – 33-35 years-old
In 16 we separated the young vines, the rest were assembled. It’s not normally like this as there are 4 parcels. Will see if this is assembled with the other 3 parcels, but probably… the last time all were done separately was 2011
A less wide nose but of impressive depth – no overt whole-cluster notes here – faint,y floral. Ooh, this is lush, fine avidity, beautiful texture, juicy , linear and pure – if it’s not blended, buy it!

Old vines Clos des Epeneaux
About 20% new oak.
A tighter nose, brooding, darker with flashes of purity. Supple, layered, intense but super texture. Really a wine to wait for but fabulously proportioned. For the medium term it needs the joie de vivre of the the young vines – or it needs to be forgotten! The last drops in the glass are great!

Something with a little age:

2015 Clos des Epeneaux
Bottled in June
That’s a young colour. A big nose, softened at the edges with a hint of oak. Supple, really a nice freshness, a smoky style of mid-palate oak. Fresh and a baby – surprisingly drinkable for a Clos!

1995 Clos des Epeneaux
Coravined one week
Big bright sous bois – aromatic energy – a nose that says I’m ready whilst slowly adding flowers too. The pakate is more direct, plenty of tannin still, a little browning of the fruit with age, this is of-course drinkable but the wine, unlike the nose, really says wait!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

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