Patrice Rion – 2017

Update 31.12.2018(29.12.2018)billn

Tasted in Premeaux-Prissey with Patrice Rion, 07 December, 2018.

Domaine Michèle et Patrice Rion
1 Rue Maladière
21700, Premeaux
Tel: +33 3 80 62 32 63
www.patricerion.com

Patrice on 2018:
2018 had some problems with hail in the village – and we were hit twice – first the north side of the village, the second on the Clos de la Marechale and the south side of the village brought more damage. We lost 5-10% on both occasions, but the weather was very good in both cases after the hail – sunny and windy so the dried grapes fell easily to the soil – in the end we are only about 10% down – it still looks like a very special vintage – dry from June right into September. Lovely warm harvesting conditions but important to drop the temperature of the grapes in the tanks as quickly as possible – it seems that some people had issues with that as it killed their yeasts – a lot of sugar so 14-14.5° was not uncommon – I prefer 13-13.5° for the best fermentations. All the fermentations are now done including the malos – too early to say whether it’s a Burgundian vintage yet.

Patrice on 2017:
Generous but ripe. This harvest was needed not just for the bank account but also the morale, since 2010 it’s the first vintage that we had to do some green harvesting. The frost was again a danger, we had a number of days with -2°C but everything was dry so we escaped with very few problems – we did use some candles in the vines here. The wines remind of 1975 or 1989 with a good fruity balance – good yields but not too much – we have 35 hl/ha – I like the character as it’s fruity and elegant – not rich and tannic – a true burgundy wine. 1979 was my first vintage, similar grapes, no rot, and at the same time with a nice quantity – to me it’s an easy vintage to compare. I particularly like the minerality and the character of each appellation in each wine – of course they are a bit young but that changes quickly.

“Every year I say it’s my best vintage – but this year it’s true!

The wines…

Such a very fine selection from Patrice – yet again. There is colour and there is concentration – but wines of joy too. Most will repay a little patience as there are many with a touch of oak – but that’s the vintage!

Some cuvées have been bottled already, but most are in tank.

2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Maybe take the cote d’or label in the future. Bottled 1st week of September.
Nice colour. Hmm. A modest but deep red fruit on the nose. Ooh, round, silky, mineral, fresh, no lack of concentration but a lovely fresh, energy. Strong finish – great not yet fully approachable.
2017 Bourgogne Les Bons Batons
The well-known vines from the commune of Chambolle.
Also very good colour. Only the later wines here used whole clusters. A much more precise nose – a very different but very attractive animal. Line, energy freshness, super texture with the slightest tannic touch with a saline accent too. Bravo again…

2017 Bourgogne ​Hautes Côtes de Nuits La Damme Huguette
Lots of clay but a little limestone too. A wine made without sulfur – also not at bottling but they don’t call it vin nature – uses a special yeast (a Burgundian selection) so it disadvantages problems such as oxidation or brett, it’s more for bio-control than for the alcoholic fermentation.
Great colour again. A more intense and higher toned nose – but very different. Super texture, plenty of volume very attractive – for my perspective not very Burgundian – delicious. This complexity comes with time says Patrice – we did this with some Bons Batons last year and it was very successful.

Previous wines were sampled from bottle, the wines now from tank:

2017 Côte de Nuits Villages
Old vines, mid-slope in Comblanchien – Les Belle Vues – quite close to the Clos de la Marechale – sandy soil with plenty of limestone. Bottling next week.
A little lighter colour. Transparent, very pretty and pure red fruit. Supple, more impact, more concentration – a touch of oak too. Beautiful.

2017 Nuits St.Georges
A little more colour again. More width on the nose – a little spicy vibration that comes from the newer barrels. A small touch of CO2, more volume and energy, great fruit too. Juicy finishing – super villages.

2017 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles-Vignes
A hint less colour. More compact but fine pretty high tones of berries. More open, a tiny touch of reduction but extra mid-palate complexity too. Wide and delicate, great energy – ‘lite but long’ deliciously weighted finish though.

2017 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras
The vines near Bonnes-Mares with Fuées above – 40 year-old vines.
A little lighter again – but still medium-plus colour. Wider, more open and friendly nose. Extra drive, extra energy, wide, touched by a little barrel today – but exquisite balance.

All the following are in barrel not to be bottled before Feb-March:

2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes
“It’s just the road that separates this Charmes from Amoureuses”​ – an old vine.
More colour. A rounder, deeper more forward shiny red fruit – so inviting. But in the mouth here is drive not roundness, fresh but still fleshy, such a beautiful fruit and fine energy – a really super combination that’s still touched by minerality in the length – great 2017…

2017 Vosne-Romanée
Just two barrels – from Au Réas and will have more in the future.
A little less colour. Bright, spicy – but some of that is certainly from the barrel. Full, transparent but at the same time with some density – growing deeper and more complex in the middle and finishing flavours. Lovely depth of flavour in the finish – excellent.

2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Clos des Argillières
The domaine is part replanting here as the vines are 65-70 years-old – they are doing it in stages after 3 years fallow – with own selection of pinot.
More colour again. A big, punchy nose, lots of volume, fruit and spice – some barrel though. Really lots of volume and weight in the mouth too – complex. This is really excellent

2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Clos St.Marc
Good colour again. Hmm – a finer nose – more Vosne style – complex and inviting. Fuller, lots of melting flavour – delicious flavour. Weighted. Long – a Grand cru again this year! So long…
2017 Clos de Vougeot
Good colour. A nose of reasonable width and some density but still a sense of tight. Yes! Bright, fresh – open – so much volume, growing complexity – a little oak – flavour leaching from the sides of my mouth – this is a super CV – bravo!

Et les Blancs…

2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay
Vines in the HCDB – bottled
Fine, pretty, a small but attractive nose today. Open, great volume in the mouth, just a touch of cushioning, slowly showing layers of finishing flavour – a little mineral aspect – starts modestly, finishes with real distinction.

2017 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les Terres Blanches
This will be bottled next week. A few hours of skin contact before pressing.
A big fresh nose, totally unlike the easy chardonnays of your expectation – serious – complex, deep, mineral – I see no oak. Supple, mineral, a touch od sweetness but not more – sometimes I find this wine a little on the rich side, not this year – it will be great stuff!

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