Tasted with Andrew Nielsen in Beaune, 06 October, 2020.
Le Grappin
12 Rue Oudot
21200 Beaune
www.legrappin.com
More reports for Le Grappin
Andrew on 2020:
“It was a normal harvest of about 21 days. I think 2020 shows less of the sun than we can see in the 2019 wines. I was really worried about micro-biological issues with shrivelled grapes, so I made pied-de-cuve and got thongs fermenting pretty quickly. ”
Andrew on 2019:
“The reds being tough to finish their fermentations is an obvious memory – not unlike 2018 – but it’s always a chore when you have high alcohols and native yeasts.”
Andrew recently lost a couple of Santenay wines – Gravières in both colours – as the domaine that supplied him was sold.
The wines…
What an impressive set of wines – and in both colours too. Almost all the whites were tending towards the oxidative – but only ‘tending’ – it was only the stage of the elevage and nothing to worry about. Such consistency of drinkable but not facile wine from this producer. Bravo!
All the wines had a summer sulfur, after malo, but nothing else at the time I tasted:
Already 10 years with this wine. There’s lighter extraction today than in the early years.
Silky red fruit – thats a great aromatic invitation. Full, concentrated layers of flavour. Some finishing structure but balanced with a little interesting and very tasty complexity. That will be wonderful Savigny villages.
Perfumed red fruit – a super invitation. A faint extra depth of structure, acid-cherry flavoured but broad, deliciously lip-smacking flavour in the finish – young but no shame to drink this young – bravo.
2019 Beaune 1er Boucherottes
Fuller, wider, fresh fruit – perfumed. There’s a lot of wc here but honestly, it’s hard to see today. Big, fresh, less accommodating on the palate than the nose – wait for this (you should) here the flavour of the wc is more visible, great finishing. Be patient, the 12 of this was tight for a while but is undeniably great now…
And to compare:
2018 Beaune 1er Boucherottes
All wc, picked as early as the owner would allow!
Hmm, there’s a concentration here, a little extra richness of aroma but still very balanced. Big, whole-cluster-infused flavour, layered – richer, more mouth-filling than the 2019. That’s a big but nicely energetic and deliciously flavoured wine. I have a preference for the sleeker 2019, but it’s damn good all the same…
Les blancs…
2019 Bourgogne Aligoté
Bottled 3 months. 90-year-old vines in the heights of Roche-Vineuse, normally comes in at 11° this year 13!
This has a compact nose. The flavour widens and widens over the palate. A waterfall of flavour, very faintly oxidative in style but completely delicious again. Excellent wine.
Above the village, direction Bouilland
That’s big, slightly creamy, almost a big hug of a nose. Vibrant again, almost electric energy, a creamy barrel impression in the complexity. Bravo!
2019 St.Aubin En la Beau Pins
A long sloping vineyard, west-sloping – a lot of cool air here. Super-late picked – it’s not far from Hautes Côtes – 12.5°
A forward, friendly, slightly cushioned nose. More driving, narrower, more citrus-infused flavour – ooh, that’s so good…
Organic since 2012 but actually certified only in 20.
Hmm, more cushioned again. Vibrant once more, but with a depth of flavour, creamy accented but with energy. This I love – bravo.
On white soil, from 45-year-old vines. The last two barrels…
The cleanest, freshest nose. A hint reductive in this case, energy, more minerality. That has such a super line – my new favourite.
2019 Beaune 1er Grèves Blanc
Silky, almost waxy, faintly mineral. Hmm, volume, structure, open, really back-end-loaded with flavour – such a complex and delicious depth of finishing flavour – if the first palate fills out to match what comes after, it will be an automatic buy.
And to finish, a change of style:
A big nose of welcoming red-fruited freshness. Mineral, beautifully structured. Perfect BJ, nature or otherwise. Long and completely delicious. Bravo!
2018 Fleurie Poncie
Actually, Hautes Poncie. The neighbouring vines here are Moulin à Vent
Lots of colour. A nose of graphite and freshness. Some pyrazine perfume blends with the graphite. Mouth-filling, fresh and tasty. A great finish here…
2020 Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
Plenty of colour. A big bright freshness of aroma – crunchy dark fruit attractiveness. Hmm, driving, fresh-flavoured wine. What more can you ask for?
There is one response to “Le Grappin – 2019”
I can only agree with your notes on the Aligote from Andrew and Emma. Totally delicious and I have already drunk what I bought and have ordered more.