Presentation
And what if the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits were the future of Burgundy... A few kilometres to the west of the Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits, with similar soil profiles, the vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits flourish… This is the seat of the Delaunay family, who settled at the Château de Charmont in l’Etang-Vergy in 1954. Here, the higher altitudes (100 to 150 m) of the vines could be a solution to climate change worth exploring with an offer of fresh, pure, elegant wines. Faithful to our history, we want to contribute to showcasing these terroirs of the future that further valorise our beautiful region of climats that is Burgundy, just as the monks of the Citeaux Abbey did in the Middle Ages. Our ambition is to identify and vinify separately, year after year, a few of the outstanding Hautes-Côtes climats in order to showcase the unique qualities of these plots which, over time, could very well produce Burgundy’s future grand wines.
Terroir
Considered for many years to be one of the finest single vineyards in the Hautes-Côtes, Les Dames Huguettes is probably the appellation’s highest reputed «climat». It is easy to understand why: the vines are in the prolongation of some of the finest Premier Crus to the south of Nuits-Saint-Georges (Les Procès, Pruliers, Porrets-Saint-Georges…) and even lie adjacent to Les Crots. They are planted at the beginning of the plateau, at altitudes around 400 m, in deep, calcareous clay soil with the same proportions of clay and Argovian marls as the Premier Cru slopes. The vines benefit from ideal southeastern exposure which lends the wines unique balance between freshness and fullness and a robust structure.
Winemaking
The grapes were handpicked at their peak of ripeness. They were then brought to the winery where they were carefully sorted and destemmed before being gravity-fed into tanks. They underwent 5 days of cold pre-fermentation maceration until fermentation got underway naturally under the influence of indigenous yeasts. Daily pump-overs were performed during the first days of Cuvaison then a few gentle, light punch-downs toward the end. Total maceration lasted 15 days, after which the young wines were immediately transferred to French oak barrels sourced from Central France forests (30% new oak). Ageing time lasted 15 months.
Varietal
Pinot Noir : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : 13.00 % vol.
Contains sulphites.
Tasting
Beautiful bright garnet-red colour. The first nose charms with its elegant expression of red fruits and rhubarb, extended by delicate floral notes of rose, peony and narcissus. Subtle mineral hints of damp clay add depth and freshness. The bouquet asserts itself as pure, direct and fruit-forward. The attack on the palate is linear, with remarkable precision. It combines a vibrant, perfectly controlled acidity with lovely roundness. The palate stands out for its impressive length, superb balance and perfect maturity. A lovely finish reveals notes of caramel, adding a final touch of charm to the tasting experience.
Food pairings
Sublime with steak tartare, red tuna tataki or veal chop with rosemary.
Reviews
Jancis Robinson