Tastedin Chambolle-Musigny with François Millet, 21 November 2022.
Domaine François Millet et Fils
15 rue du Carré
Chambolle-Musigny
More reports with Domaine François Millet
François on 2021:
“21 was certainly less easy to get hold of grapes and not just because of the frost, there was mildew too. We found some interesting things in the Côte de Nuits where it was less frosted. We had less in our other cuvées too – that’s for sure – 2020 8-9,000 bottles but for the 2021s we have between 6-7,000. Anyone trying to make 20s out of 2021 grapes would fall on their faces – you had to accept what the grapes have delivered – I did no pigeage – except just once for the Gevrey. That said, I like this vintage very much, we return to a certain classic style – maybe 2016 was close – here is freshness, finesse and transparency – it’s a good terroir vintage – and with elevage, they are filling out very well.”
The wines…
A consistently excellent range of wines from François at this stage of his elevage – a fine result!
“Probably not the end of the year but Springtime could be a good timing for the bottling here, the evolution is not very quick right now:”
2021 Volnay Des Grands Poisots
Despite François’ lack of pigeage there’s plenty of colour here. A supple impression of round fruit – rather attractive aromas. Direct but still with breadth, silky before a little tannin brings velour to the texture. Pure fruit here – very attractive wine. Here’s a wine that holds very well in the finish for a villages – it’s a very good wine.
2021 Volnay 1er Clos des Angles
Again plenty of colour. A nose that’s more vertical and higher-toned with some darker fruit berries. Broad, supple still, melting, that’s a beautiful shape with a mouth-watering intensity. Faintly saline in the finish – pure – super clarity here – a mineral vibration in the finish.
There’s no Beaune 1er Champs Pimonts in this vintage, but it’s back in 2022.
A plain west-facing area as you head up the Combe from Chambolle towards Villars Fontaine
A breadth of aroma with a kiss of freshness – there’s also a wink of reduction but that’s fading in the glass and becoming more perfumed. Ooh – now that has super energy and a vibrant complexity for such a modest label – filled with perfumed flavour. I love this – bravo!
2021 Bourgogne Les Rues
Separated from Chambolles les Athets and Herbues by the road.
A more direct, high-toned, perfume with a little barrel accompaniment. Redder fruit – more intense and acid-forward. Mouth-watering but becomes wider and more and more comfortable as you approach the middle and finishing flavours. ‘Blood-orange’ says François – yes!
2021 Fixin En l’Olivier
Above the village next to Les Arvelets 1er – between the church of Fissey and the woods above.
Tighter in the higher notes but there’s more depth and breadth to the deeper aromas of red fruit – a faint tobacco shows. Supple, silky, slightly cushioned red fruit – direct – or better, frank – in style. Finishing wide but subtle. The higher position showing itself – not to any detriment.
2021 Marsannay En Poteys
On the left in Couchey as you head to Marsannay. ‘The minerality and energy of this is very well preserved – probably as there were no pigeages’
A more open width of red fruit – fine and pure – very attractive. Hmm, here is a wine with modest weight but far from modest attractiveness – there’s width and mouth-watering delicious red-shaded flavour. That’s super attractive!
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Croix des Champs
Deeper soils for this one vs their other Gevrey
Direct, vibrant, red-berry fruit. Again – such a formidable balance of juicy red fruit with a mouth-filling roundness – just enough sucrosity to make this very, very morish.
2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Le Fourneau
The other side of the RN974 but effectively (well) below Chapelle-Chambertin. This has much more limestone in the soil and François decided that this one needed its pigeage, and there is a little more colour here – ‘the former has light, this is more sombre’
A much deeper and quite broad nose of darker-red fruit. Ooh, the texture has a faint tannin – but no dryness – here is acid intensity again but balanced with some sucrosity and energy – nothing sharp here – it’s still a wine of energy – and playful deliciousness. Broad and intense finishing – actually this is my slight favourite of the two! It’s excellent.
2021 Chambolle-Musigny Les Fouchères
Vines quite close to 1er Borniques. It’s relatively central and there’s a lot of limestone here.
Slowly a modest reduction fades bringing more dimension to the wine – lots of complexity of dark fruit and flowers. A little more concentration but coupled to silky direct flavour and freshness of fine acidity. The structure is more visible here but so is a fine and clinging freshness of finishing flavour. Give this a year or two but everything is here for an excellent wine.
Les Whites:
2021 Bourgogne Haute Côte de Nuits En Vallerots Blanc
A broad nose – boiled sweet complexity. Super acidity, broad flavours, lots of exotic agrume here – ‘all natural,’ says Francois – slowly fading. Absolutely delicious energetic and forward wine.
2021 Marsannay La Croix du Bois Blanc
Relatively high vines – almost in Couchey
Broader notes, less energetic with a calmer roundness to start but then developing a very fine floral note – I’m not the biggest follower of Maresannay blanc but this smells great! Broad, fine citrus intensity with just enough sucrosity to balance. Successive waves of finishing flavour. That’s a completely delicious wine (again!) – particularly for Marsannay Blanc!