Jane Eyre – 2016

30.11.2017billn

Tasted with Jane Eyre in Beaune, 01 November 2017.

Maison Jane Eyre
Château de Bligny
14 Grande rue
21200 Bligny-lès-Beaune

Jane Eyre on 2017:
It wasn’t so hard to get grapes in 2017. What has been hard is for a domaine in the last years, to do all that work and then have no fruit at the end. But (for example) in Nuits where they haven’t had problems the prices have anyway gone up and up, and up… Fixed price contracts are exactly that, the same prices as the last years – everyone is hoping the the main contract pricing will come down of-course – we are all waiting for that! Actually I’ve more cuvees coming in 2017, with the help of returning wines and another from Beaujolais – a Chénas. In 2017 I’ve 45 barrels instead of 35 in 2016.

Jane Eyre on 2016:
In 2016 I had only 5 cuvees including a new Fleurie (tasted here.) After the easily commercial 2015s the 2016s are more like a blend of 2009 and 2010 and there is more variability. The way they taste now, I’m not sure what I’m waiting for in terms of bottling, because they really seem ready. I spent a stupid amount of money on corks this week, but the corks are individually tested to be taint free and the suppliers are so confident of their quality, that they will cover the cost of returns.

The wines…

Jane continues to deliver oh-so tasty wines – the vintage is captured beautifully here.

 

2016 Cote de Nuits Villages
Augmented with some biodynamic fruit this year (you pay a premium of 15% for that!) as the normal parcel was quite badly frosted. Assembled about 3-4 weeks ago and not yet sulfured. 30% whole bunch ‘in the Leroy style.’
A nice deep colour, really plenty of aromatic volume, deep fruit, deepened by a little reduction. Juicy, lovely energy and a slowly growing suggestion of fat to the texture. Really a super intensity for the label. Direct, mouth-watering, and very long. Super juicy but give it at least a year if you can wait. The flavour is still going as I type…

2016 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Au Vergelesses
Three barrels, none new, maybe a little whole bunch, ‘but not enough to note – I always avoid extraction here to keep away from the vegetal.’
A finer and much less forceful nose. Supple, fresh, much easier to appreciate after the power and energy of the CdNV. A slowly growing intensity of flavour, lots more overt complexity and a herby, spicy salinity. Redder fruit profile and really just as long as the CdNV….

2016 Gevrey-Chambertin
One parcel opposite the Château and the other near Les Evocelles
A hint of smoke on this nose – aromatically less open than the last two. Wide, a super texture coupled with width of flavour. This has the characteristic melting flavour of the vintage. Super wine. Plenty of structure, not a facile, easy wine but still a very tasty wine.

2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Corbeaux
From the same grower as the villages. At the top, the last rows before Mazis. One-third new oak and this is still in barrel.
Despite a whiff and depth of reduction, this nose is highly attractive and alluring. Fresh, so much volume – I love the structure – this wine has such class. There’s still a little modest reduction on the palate, but this is beautiful, classic wine of length.

And now for something completely different:
It might be the same label, but these wines come from Australia! Bottled in March of this year, they spent the last 10 months in old french oak, not fined or filtered. They were sulfured just before bottling, sealed under screwcap.

2016 Mornington Peninsula, Pinot Noir
‘A nice beach view but not sandy. 30 year-old, non irrigated, vines. 20% whole bunch. A couple of punch downs to keep the cap wet, and maybe three weeks in tank, but really I don’t do very much with them.’
A little salinity and a warm, faintly high-toned fruit. Lots of volume, certain bitters – a citrus skin quality – roast fruit but still fresh in character. Only in the finish is there a little dry grain of tannin… I don’t have a reference for this style, but it’s tasty wine..

2016 Gippsland, Pinot Noir
‘From east of Melbourne, quite fertile soil here but higher up (300m) on red volcanic soil. Dry-farmed vines, no herbicides. It’s a vigorous, cooler site so no whole bunches – you get the whole bunch effect without the whole bunches!’
A nicely aromatic volume of spiced red fruit – if not quite Vosne-style. More succulent than the last, a little oak impression here, coconut style – but there’s no new oak! Finer texture and weight. I prefer this style and the finish is saline and complex…

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

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