Tasted in Beaune with Vincent Avenel and Lucy Auger, 07 December 2021.
Chanson Père et Fils
10 Rue du Collège/r Paul Chanson
21200 Beaune
Tel: +33 3 80 25 97 97
www.vins-chanson.com
More reports with Maison Chanson Père et Fils
The obvious news here is the changing of wine-making team: Jean-Pierre Confuron is no-longer working with Chanson and in his place we have Justine Savoye, responsible for the vines and Lucy Auger, who’s responsible for the winemaking.
Vincent & Lucy on 2021:
“In 2021 we had some nice surprises despite the small volume of the vintage – the wines have a nice esprit though very different to 2020 – it’s not easy to taste the wines side-by. It was really half a harvest – 18-20 hl/hl which is better than in 2016 when we did 16 hl/ha.”
Vincent & Lucy on 2020:
“The main complication was the rapidity of the growth, which was, later, followed in August by the hydric stress. We harvested 24 August to 04 September – which was also a bit of a stress – mainly due to organising the harvest quickly and early. But compared to 2021, it was a piece of cake! It was another vintage, though, of low volume – just 22 hl/hl. Because of these low volumes the demand is stronger than ever before but 2021 won’t help anyone. We will be putting the 20s on the market a little later to try to spread out the sales. Nothing is bottled, we’re not rushing into anything. The grapes were sometimes part destemmed in 2020 – all retain some whole-clusters but not the 100% that was traditionally done here. With some cool macerations and a slightly wider range of coopers being used too. We will rack the wines right at the end of the year – for the reds – with bottling planned from April, onwards.”
The wines…
I assume that the domaine here is looking for a more approachable, consumer-friendly, style to their wines. Historically they were great but for the patient. It’s hard to see a difference with these 20s because the vintage is so ripe and approachable. Still, it’s a fine range that, in most cases, will amply repay your patience…
All the wines, reds too, in DIAM – 10 and 30 – started in 2010 and for all whites. ‘Cork is simply not pragmatic:‘
2020 Montheie 1er Le Clos Gauthey
This a contract here since 2019.
A little spice – both oak and whole cluster – becoming sweeter with air. Direct, mineral, saline – growing in intensity – that’s a lovely, long and narrow, finish.
2020 Santenay 1er Beaurepaire
Domaine wine – 1.8 ha
More width of aroma – again slightly saline, this time more directly attractive without the intervention of air. Supple, wider, lovely intensity with some herb complexity too – this is rather wide over the palate – a completely different shape – tasty wine.
2020 Domaine Beaune 1er Clos des Mouches
Colour! Here’s a complex nose; the faint spice of wc and oak, and there’s herb and a little pyrazine impression too. Extra width, extra freshness – lot’s of intensity and complexity here. Vibrant, mineral finishing, a little finishing pyrazine too.
2020 Beaune 1er Les Teurons
Almost 4 hectares mainly in the flat at the bottom of the hillside.
A calmer nose – plenty of width – suggesting, without over-delivering some florals. Mouth-filling, open, good energy – there’s a melting extra dimension to the flavours here too – much more attractive to me vs the Mouches. A strong and impressive, indeed layered finish. This is excellent.
That’s a fine nose – more height to these aromas with the impression of silk too. Ooh – nice! Here’s another level of textural sophistication – then a middle and finishing flavour that hints at the Teurons but with a little extra. That could be a great Beaune!
Higher toned again – more width to this nose – quite airy. More mouth-filling and open – airy again, complex, framed with fine tannin. A little more juicy style to this wine – very different to the Greves and possibly just as good – bravo!
2020 Domaine Beaune 1er Clos des Marconnets
A little over 3 hectares, mid-slope – well exposed.
Also very deep colour. A little graphite style minerality to this fresh nose. Hmm, that’s lovely, mouth-watering, a certain tension – plenty of concentration too. A shimmering almost vibrant finishing impression. That’s really excellent wine!
2020 Domaine Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Dominode
1.08 ha 90 year-old vines
A vertical nose, narrow but deep and also showing lovely high tones above – rather classy. Hmm – a more direct style than the Beaunes but one that widens with the growth of the tannin. Very mouth-watering red and darker berries in the finish. This will make a super bottle but factor 10-20 years of patience in your calculations!
Hmm – that’s a really attractive width of inky dark aroma at the depth and fine and airy width above – super. Hmm, that’s super in the mouth – a roundness but still grained by the tannin – but no dryness. Deeply flavoured in the finish – bravo!
Les Whites…
The whites are mainly assembled and would normally bottle around June but they may decide to go longer:
2020 Domaine Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Hautes Marconnets
Plenty of colour. The nose is ripe, modestly exotic in style. Easy over the palate, a certain richness to this flavour but never too much as it remains mouth-watering and a little slaine. The finish is really excellent. Tasty wine!
2020 Domaine Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Les Caradeux
A couple of hectares here – like the Savigny – but more limestone and steeper in this case.
A smaller, finer, more mineral nose. A little more agrume and tension, growing width of flavour here. Lasting beautifully – a completely excellent wine – a little contemplative and always delicious.
2020 Beaune 1er Clos des Mouches Blanc
Here the nose is fuller and suggesting a faint spice too – still quite airy. Cooler fruit, more mineral, wide and growing in mouth-watering style. This is very impressive wine. Wide-screen finishing flavour, more mineral than fruit – but the fruit is present too. Excellent wine, maybe a little better even!
2020 Domaine Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Chenevottes
1.8 ha owned. Are replanting a section now.
A fuller nose, sweeter too. There’s a little more muscle here but with some padding too. Lovely texture – little flashes of complexity in the flavour – riper fruit. Also super but completely different, richer style.
2020 Corton-Vergennes
0.6 ha above Ladoix – east-facing in the mid-slope.
The aroma here has the richness and depth of the Chassagne but with a little more of the frankness of the Clos des Mouches – almost a little ripe pineapple in this one. Yet in the mouth more strict than the nose suggests – a more structural wine that’s tempered with richness – lots of power here for sure – this is very good.