Tasted with Vincent Ravaut in Ladoix, 12 November 2019.
Domaine Gaston et Pierre Ravaut
Hameau De Buisson,
21550 Ladoix-Serrigny
Tel: +33 3 80 26 41 94
www.domaine-ravaut.fr
On 2019:
“40% less – first the frost, then very dry. We had no juice – we pressed but we didn’t have that many grapes anyway. The grapes were lovely though – the whites already look super, but for the reds I think it’s too early to say. A good small vintage; I think wines that have fruit and a good spine – the volume will be shame though.”
On 2018:
“2018 – ah yes! For me it’s a vintage that’s perfect like 2015 – and other great vintages – there was juice. It’s not classic as the maturity is high so I chose to harvest early, 28 August, so earlier than in 2017. I’m happy with that as it meant that I could keep some acidity. I really look for the freshness. The sugars took some time to finish – it can be complicated with our local yeasts. A pigeage per day in the first few days before changing to remontage. Macerations for 25-30 days.”
The wines…
Ripe energetic but not with the excess weight that many domaines show in 2018. There is much to love in this range in 2018.
Whites were bottled in September, the reds are normally done in early Spring:
‘The malo never happened for the most part – it’s still not quite finished.’ Two parcels from the Ladoix commune – one actually classified as villages. All old barrel elevage.
A modest but pure nose of darker fruit. Supple, concentrated, dark fruit on the palate too – lovely mouth-watering acidity in the finish. Long, juicy. I think the potential for great!
2018 Côte de Nuits Villages
Vines in Corgoloin, a hillside area called Montagne – over 1 ha here – low yield due to vine age, a sandier soil. 15% new oak like all the wines that follow.
A little twist of oak but dark and fresh fruit too. A lovely wave of fresh flavour here, only accented with tannin, nothing astringent. I love the finishing line of fresh dark flavour. Excellent wine…
Les Marnées and Les Vris assembled.
Wow – that’s deep colour! This needs patience for maturity. A nice perfumed top layer here – quite floral. Drive, energy, juicy flavoured. Love the energy here, the oak’s not visible though there’s a suggestion of licorice is in the middle. Juicy, mouth-watering finish – love this! Bravo!
2018 Ladoix Les Carrières
This passed 14°, one of first harvested parcels. Just one barrel, villages despite sitting between 2 premiers
More elegant, redder fruit, plenty of floral perfume again. Wide, mouth-filling, faintly grained, again a fine juicy finish, a touch of salinity. You don’t note the alcohol here…
Almost 1 ha
Another great nose – almost textured to go with a perfume, supported by dark-red, ripe fruit, even a little strawberry. Vibrant, energetic, layered wine. The texture is good, practically nothing astringent. Mouth-wateringly long. Super finishing intensity – bravo!
2018 Ladoix 1er Les Basses Murottes
Here’s a weight of concentration, salinity even, that supports some perfume again. Ooh, that’s fine, incisive, acid-led flavour – beautifully textured, melting further with more fruit flavour – a coulis style of fruit. Be ready for the acidity – the ride is worth it – excellent wine!
2018 Ladoix 1er La Corvée
Direct south-facing vines, over 60-years-old. The age of Vincent’s father, planted by grandfather and grandmother.
Another singing nose – perfumed again. Super again – incisive, mouth-watering energy – the dark colour of the wine contra to what you tase. A little extra sweetness vs the last, but otherwise similar in style. Excellent again.
2018 Aloxe-Corton
Old vines in one part plus some a little younger – normally 3 parcels – Les Caillets, Morais and Volazières
A punchier, redder fruit here – no flowers. Hmm, lovely in the mouth with volume and mouth-watering acidulated red fruit. Ooh, that’s so tasty – excellent!
1,800 bottles – 80% Les Paulands the rest from Fournière, relatively young vines – the Paulands section only 20 years old but touching that of Corton Paulands – plain south-facing
Red fruit again, a little vibrancy of energy but no flowers. Weight, mineral first, fruit second but the fruit comes more to the fore. Wide – impressive. Love the style here – super wine – really chalky style to it!
2018 Corton Les Hautes Murottes
It’s turning white around here, but Vincent wants to keep his red.
An airy, elegant nose, chalky perhaps again. Sweet but incisive – faint tannin, wide and mouth-watering. Beautiful freshness, line and interest – patience required despite a certain elegance – wait at least 2-3 years but this has super length.
2018 Corton Bressandes
‘The violet note on the nose is only something we’ve seen in the warm vintages since 2015.’
Riper but more complex and a little perfumed too. Extra silk to the texture, great energy, fine fresh, concentrated, fruit. There is volume and concentration but not oppressively so. Super…
Les Blancs:
2018 Bourgogne Aligoté
Old vines (70) in the commune – again Vries
A wide, quite mineral nose. Supple, almost a little metallic, but supple and cushioned yet with good energy.
2018 Bourgogne Chardonnay
Only 25 yo vines in the commune. Half tank elevage, about 5% new barrels
A little reductive from the bottling – ‘I’m happy to hear that, it’s something I’m looking for.’ Ooh, that’s lovely on the palate – wide, nicely textured, a little mineral reduction in the middle. Tasty wine! Yum!
2018 Ladoix
Classic villages from Bas de Nagets, elevage in 400 l barrels. Guyot Poussard pruning here.
Here the nose is modest but more in place than the previous two wines. More energy, nice drive to the fruit, modestly mineral – completely delicious!
2018 Ladoix 1er Hautes Murottes
I don’t make a lot but I’d get heartache to blend it! First harvested parcel in 2018
A little bottling reduction again. Ooh, more incisive, minerally fresh, but with enough sucrosity that it’s not of rigour. Wide, super flavoured – a touch reductive again.
Just a few rows of white in here. The only bottler since 2016…
Ooh – now that’s a nose – vibrant, floral – mega! Ooh (again) – incisive, deep, melting, fresh, cool fruit and mineral – a baby Charlemagne if ever there was one.! Bravo!
2016 Corton-Charlemagne
These last three wines are all very close geographically, but not so from the taste. To finish, this, also from Hautes Murottes. New 400 l barrel.
The same floral nose as the Hautes Murottes just a little more volume – the parcels are very close together. More weight and depth, more concentration. Supple, concentrated, layered delivery of flavour. This is for waiting for, today I’d take the lovely energy of the previous two.
The prices are still reasonable here – the domaine’s Corton-Charlemagne has just gone up to 70 Euros!
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