Tasted in Pernand with Christine Gruère-Dubreuil, 09 November, 2018.
Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Père et Fils
Rue Rameau
21420 Pernand-Vergelesses
Tel: +33 3 80 21 55 43
www.dubreuil-fontaine.com
Christine on 2018:
“2018 – A lovely year – we could say exceptional in the sense of the hot summer and another early vintage – the end of August for us. Lovely grapes that were very clean, aerated, and without rot. And in the end, importantly, look like lovely wines even with high alcohols the balance is there. Globally we saw quality and quantity.”
Christine on 2017:
“2017 started easily with nice weather – it was really warm in April – but then the experience of 2016 returned, and the same day we were frosted in 2016. Fortunately it was more worry than damage. Onwards it wasn’t too wet, with a summer that was warm and dry. We started harvesting 31 August – 2003, 2007, 2011 and now 2017 have started in August. And finally we had a good harvest, a healthy harvest. Also happy again because we have quantity and quality, wines that are round and fruity, not hard tannins – I would say tasty, not for long keeping, probably, but very pleasant young – also the whites are fruity.”
The wines…
It’s a bit of a shame – call it the autumn mist or the small tasting glasses, but the aromas were tight today. But the wines were more than good – some were even great!
Two reds – the Bourgogne and Pernand – are bottled, as are all the whites.
2017 Bourgogne Notre Dame de Bonne Esperance
Bottled in July with the Pernand and the whites. As normal about one year of elevage to be ready for the harvest.
A pretty and precise red fruit nose. Hmm, depth of flavour, texture decently concentrated with a tiny ripple of tannin. Easy, tasty and with great texture. Tasty length too with a touch of oak…
2017 Pernand-Vergelesses
Three parcels, Noirets, Boutières and one, Les Fichots is 1er cru
Hmm. Deeper, richer and a little darker fruit. Direct, much fresher, a little characterful herb, almost Savigny-style. Structure and very tasty depth in the mid and finishing flavours.
2017 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Vergelesses
Three different parcels.
High tones, less overt depth. More supple and finer textured, a hint of the herb, but the complexity is super – it needs a little time but will be very worth it.
Some of the vines here touch on those from the last Savigny – these samples to be bottled around January but they seem ready.
A tighter nose. A wider panorama, more volume, virtually none of the herb, layered in the mid and finishing flavours – really a step up from the Savigny – bravo complex and long.
2017 Aloxe-Corton 1er Vercots
Not so wide but a lovely depth of aroma, dark-fruit. Fuller, more open and energetic, more structure too – redder fruit – it lacks the sophistication of the Ile, but has a lovely, delicious finishing energy.
2017 Volnay
As always, a high percentage of 1er Cru in this wine.
Oh, stony fruit but a fine, energetic nose here. A touch of reduction, a depth of direct flavour, underpinned with a base of fine tannin. I know this wine and it takes time to blossom, but there’s plenty of 1er cru in here, and it always does blossom – the 2005 is just about starting to drink well… Lovely in the finish – complex and long…
2017 Pommard
Trois Follots and En Beouf
A nose that’s wide and textured. Hmm, good volume in the moth, framed with a modest tannin, but in the middle always elegant. Modest, but delicious – yum
2017 Beaune 1er Montrevenots
A good depth of aroma, not yet showing the flowers that I find characteristic of the cuvée here. Hmm, a lovely texture, just a little cushioned – velour perhaps – modest but very fine tannin, layered and delicious.
2017 Pommard 1er Les Epenots
Petit plus Grands Epenots
A wide nose bt the aroma is not fully formed – it’s a small tasting glass too. A little reduction is the reason. Great shape and energy, but reductive. Almost always my favourite here, but not showing so well today…
2017 Corton Perrieres
Ooh – there’s something deep here – very inviting. Extra volume, extra presence, and certainly extra tannin with a small lick of astringency – but the flavour lingers beautifully – long, long. Always a lovely cuvée…
A finer and wider nose, less overt depth. Directly an impression of more concentration and an almost malevolent intensity – wow this is good – between a wine that I’ve often loved And one I usually love I don’t have any special memories of this cuvée – over years – but this is downright great – bravo!
Less full but with that extra purity, indeed clarity of fine fruit. Perhaps even a little more volume than the last, layered, hedonistic (ouch! So much baggage with that word), more layers, widening, and so long. Another great cuvée here – bravo!
Les Blancs:
The whites were all bottled end of August.
2017 Bourgogne Les Crenilles
Vines in the commune of Pommard – opposite the Château
Ooh, a slightly biscuit reduction in the depth, but directly fresh and aromatic a hint of aniseed perhaps. Full, lots of energy, an attractive, slightly earthy depth of flavour – good refreshing energy. Nice.
2017 Pernand-Vergelesses
Like the last deep, suggesting but without overt reduction – but for me that’s the style, the marker, of Pernand whites. Here is an extra level of gas. Wider, more open, hmm – more elegant but with fine energy. This is lovely.
A more open and floral nose – very attractive. Fresh direct, intense, lovely energy, hmm this is more than fine. Bravo
2017 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Clos Berthet
A slight biscuit reduction – it needs a little air. Supple, more concentrated depth, also needs a bit of air for the flavours but there’s a more overt minerality. The long-lasting flavours are delicious…
2017 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Vergelesses Blanc
Replanted some red in 2011, in 2014 there was hail so nothing, in 15 there was just one barrel because of the drought, in 16 another barrel because of frost, but this year 4 barrels! ‘Less mineral than the Pernand but interesting.’
A flattering, inviting fresh nose – slightly floral. Supple, good concentration, a layered wine despite it’s youth. Pretty in the finish with a little minerality. Nice…
2017 Corton-Charlemagne
Pernand side
Hmm, certainly not the most overt nose but there’s something more than interesting in the depth. Fresh, nice line – very open, this is surprisingly easy today, it’s just the finish that tells you that there is more here, with a little oak, some salinity and a very fine persistence – balanced and rather easy – but this is a cuvée that has always aged and improved as all my wines from the 70s and 80s have shown – even the 2001…