BOURGOGNE COTE-DE-NUITS : LA SELECTION

At the beginning of last century, François Blée settles in Vosne-Romanée. His Charles son, succeeds to him by increasing the surface of the winegrowing. In 1966 the estate divides between his two daughters. Jacqueline Blée, one of her daughters, and her husband Rene Cacheux, created the Winegrowing Rene Cacheux-Blée. In 2004, after having worked on other wine estates, Gerald, their son, and the Winegrowing directs now succeeds to them. As from 2005, the estate acquires vines of the Chambolle-Musigny appellation. The grape harvest is manual, the sorting is immediate, directly on the vine, the de-stalking is total before setting out of open tank. The wines are vinified in a traditional way with control of the temperatures. They are then maturing in oak barrels throughout one 18 month with a percentage of new barrels which can vary, according to the appellations and the vintage, between 30% and 70%. Remarkable Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Suchots 2007, fleshy as they are liked, quite robust, complexes, harmonious, a wine rich color, who feels good the ripe fruits with core and the undergrowth, of guard. Chambolle-Musigny 2007, of color crimson, with blackberry scents, dense, is a wine of very good mouth, all in suppleness and smoothness, very aromatic with the palate where prevails prune, cherry, and spices, of very elegant structure.

The winegrowing is a family property of a dozen hectares on the communes of Fixin and Gevrey-Chambertin. The property, created in 1925 per Pierre Gelin, is now exploited by Stéphen Gelin and his wife assisted by their Pierre-Emmanuel son who integrated the company in September 2000. The methods of culture are traditional, the limited yields and the manual grape harvest. Total de-stemming, fermenting during 15 to 20 days, follow-up of a one period maturing from 20 to 24 months, out of barrels of oak (20% of new barrels on Premiers Crus and 80% on Grand Cru)… “The vintage 2007, we specifies Stephen Gelin, is a wine very open, very expressive, pleasant, very flattering. A very promising wine which will be very pleasant in its youth, its freshness. It is vintage which will make it possible to await the 2006 which is a wine of guard. The 2007 are more delicate, more elegant than the 2006. It profited from a maturing out of 18 month old barrels, appreciably the same duration as the 2006.” One is thus well at the top with this superb Fixin Premier Cru Clos Napoleon 2007, resulting from 50 year old vines, grape harvest manual, matured 22 month out of barrels of oak, with the nose of strawberry of wood and blackberry, full and complex, a wine with quite well-balanced tannins, of silky mouth to the nuances of violet, currant and spices, at round tannins and well present at the same time, a wine with much of charm, structured but very delicate. Tasty 2006, garnet-red robe and reflections crimsons. Nose complexes where mix with the notes of soft spices (vanilla and grooves) and of stone-fruits, beautiful fresh attack in mouth, tannins is unctuous, molten and delicately underlines the powerful and persistent kirsch aromas. Beautiful minerality continuing on vanilla finally. The 2005, a great wine where intermingle with the notes of red small fruits with core quite ripe, of pepper and liquorice, of cordial and powerful mouth, a wine obviously still very young. Beautiful 2004, which hardly starts to open, with these subtle connotations of morello cherry and humus, which associates powerfull and distinction in mouth, matured well, with tannins present and supple at the same time, to uncork on a kitchen raised well like a navarin of lamb. Superb Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2006, very typified soil, with the scents of cooked fruits and spices, rich and of beautiful color garnet-red, which particularly allured us, velvety and scented, typified, with the notes characteristic of liquorice and ripe finally, full cherry, of excellent evolution. If you find some, sink over the 2003, scented well (undergrowth and bilberry notes), traditional, a wine which associates color and matter, of molten and rich mouth, of guard. Excellent Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Prieur 2006, a wine fleshy and persistent, dense, coloured, with the complex nose with connotations on ripe blackcurrants and an animal side, all in subtle aromas finally, mouth while a wine, continuing its evolution. At his side, Fixin Premier Cru Les Hervelets 2007, with these notes of blackcurrant, humus and liquorice, a wine of supple structure, full and rich mouth, with the complex nuances of fruits of wood and smoked, very good evolution. Beautiful 2006: garnet-red robe; very expressive cherry in brandy and kirsch nose, tannins is tender, a velvety wine with the very ripe, beautiful harmony of savors, delicious black fruit notes on creamed poultries. The 2005, (maturing 22 month out of barrels of oak), of color crimson, with the nose prevailed by the red fruits with core, with this very specific spiced final, are a wine of dense mouth, with silky tannins, which deserved well its gold medal with the agricultural general Competition of Paris. There is also this attractive and rare white Fixin 2006, “a small personal pleasure, tells us Stephen Gelin, a confidential production of 300 bottles coming from a piece whose soil was appropriate well for Chardonnay, old orchard left in waste land close to the Romance church of Fixey, an elegant wine and suave, very traditional, of intense robe, rich with the nose as in mouth, all in aromatic nuances (lime, hazel nut). Very beautiful quality-price-typicité ratio.

Ranked First Great Wine, which rewards an exceptional policy qualitative, where the typicity is combined at very wise prices. Superb Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers 2006, suave, of a richness and a very delicate complexity, with its subtle notes of ripe red fruits, humus and spices. The 2005, extremely well matured, superb, fleshy and very scented, of a beautiful harmony to the palate, the enchanting with these notes very characteristic of fruits of wood macerated and spices, very rich and very elegant nose at the same time, of beautiful evolution. Tasty Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Combes aux Moines 2006, a wine powerful and coloured, with the nuances of pepper, humus and of morello cherry, very well-balanced, of a beautiful harmony to the palate, with its points of slightly spiced ripe small fruits, which requires to be melted. Remarkable 2005, of brilliant robe, with the notes of raspberry and cherry, quite well-balanced, combining structure and velvety in mouth, full and fleshy, of guard, of course. The 2003 are of powerful mouth, with the macerated cherry nose, a spiced wine, with these slightly réglissées scents of morello cherry, which combines richness and distinction, of a beautiful final. Gevrey Les Champeaux 2006 also is successful, of garnet-red robe, with the nose prevailed by the red fruits (plum, blackcurrant, raspberry), with very well-balanced tannins, finely spiced finally as it is needed. Beautiful Chambolle-Musigny 2006, very elegant, rich with the nose, with these subtle cherry connotations, of humus, which mixes powerfull and distinction in mouth, quite fullbodied, with tannins present and tasty at the same time, a wine which is appreciated as of today but deserves a little patience.

The Arnaud son joined the estate and his Cyril brother. The winegrowing extends on 14 ha. Cyril Audoin, 32 years, represents the fifth generation of vine growers. But, if the winegrowing reaches 14 ha today, the surface of the property, to the beginning of the year 1900, was limited to only 4 ha. The vineyard was maintained thanks to the perseverance of Marie Ragonneau, the great-grandmother of Cyril, a strong woman who knew, only, to preserve and maintain the vineyard, working itself with its horse and its pulverizer with back. To pay homage to him, Cyril created the vintage Marie Ragonneau besides on the Marsannay appellation. Charles Audoin, his father, knows each piece, each stock and it is this respect of the vine in its environment which will have guided its decisions during these forty last years. Cyril encased the step. In its research of optimal quality, it also made the choice separately vinify in Marsannay appellation various worthy localities to express a typicity, a special character of it. A large work when it is known that the smallest Marsannay vintage, Charme aux Prêtres, does not exceed 600 bottles! Very beautiful red Marsannay Clos du Roy 2007, coloured, with the macerated fruit and vanilla, undergrowth connotations, sweet, a certain complexity, rich and long finish, which pursues a very nice development.. The 2006, with the nose of ripe fruits and humus, rich and complex, are all in mouth, of steady color, with full and structured tannins. The 2005, of powerful mouth, with melted tannins, with these notes quite characteristic of slightly spiced ripe small fruits, a wine which requires to be melted, not yet with maturity. Tasty 2004, with silky and full tannins, a wine which feels good the red fruits and the humus, traditional, that it is necessary to know to wait to benefit from its potential. Beautiful Marsannay Les Favières 2007, crimson robe, with the intense and subtle nose at the same time (morello cherry, humus), well typified, a wine robust and all in roundness, very characteristic of the best bottles of its appellation, full, of very traditional mouth, very good evolution. Very attractive Marsannay white Au Champs Salomon 2007, typified, scented and persistent, of a good roundness, charmer with these connotations of hawthorn and nut, all in mouth like excellent rosy Marsannay, very full, of elegant structure, with the pepper and fresh blackcurrant scents.

A winegrowing of 8,25 ha vines (average age from 20 to 25 years). Beautiful Marsannay Les Échezeaux 2007, quite fleshy, of powerful mouth, intense robe, with the nose prevailed by the red fruits with core, with this very specific spiced final. The 2006, mouth while a wine, scented well (morello cherry, grooves), with very well-balanced tannins, at the same time powerful and supple, of a beautiful final, excellent guard as proves it this 2003, which starts to open, of beautiful intense red color, to the nose marked by crystallized blackberry aromas, very full and rich with the nose as in mouth. Excellent Marsannay Vieilles Vignes 2006, fleshy, of powerful mouth, intense robe, with the nose prevailed by the red fruits with core, with this very specific spiced final. Typified well, rosy Marsannay 2007, of beautiful steady color, all in savors and perfumes, of a fresh and persistent, slightly spiced final. Taste its white Les Champs Salomons 2007, sweet, dense and delicate Marsannay, of beautiful golden color, with the rich nose prevailed by notes of rose and toast, and its Aloxe Corton 2008, of very brilliant robe, with the subtle nose with prevailing of toast and flower of acacia, where the spices intermingle, of steady color, with subtle connotations finally, marked by its soil, a wine particularly successful.

Fifth generation of vine growers for this winegrowing of 9 ha, manual grape harvest, standing fermentation open 12 to 15 days, with punching of the cap and reassembly days laborer, control of the temperatures by thermoregulation and maturing out of barrels of oak for 18 months for all the appellations, not of joining nor of filtration. You will like like us them Morey-Saint-Denis 2008, very typified, of beautiful intense robe, a great wine with tannins silky but solid, fleshy and very full, all in mouth, with the powerful cooked fruit scents, undergrowth and spices, well-balanced, of good guard. 2007, all in nuances, all color, with its subtle and intense scents of overripe red small fruits, is a very successful wine, associating fleshy and structure, powerfull and distinction, matured very well, of rich mouth (morello cherry, humus, spices). Remarkable Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2007, of intense robe, rich with the nose, with these connotations of cherry and humus, a complex and powerful great wine, melted in mouth like the Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2007, powerful, full and distinguished, with the connotations of crystallized cherry and undergrowth, extremely in aromas as out of structure, slightly spiced, very elegant, with firm and dense tannins, of good guard. Chambolle-Mussigny 2007 complex and delicate, round and is coloured, where overripe fruit and spices savors intermingle, of a long final, a great classicism. Quite as attractive, the Clos de La Roche Grand Cru 2007, very a typified great wine, of beautiful intense robe, a wine with tannins silky, solid, fleshy and very full, all in mouth, distinguished, with the subtle crystallized cherry connotations, very promising.

The winegrowing such as it arises today is the result of the work of 4 generations of wine growers. Stéphane joined the estate in 2002. Maintained since 30 years only by ploughings, the forever known winegrowing of weeding. Vintage with sorting with the vine, traditional wine making, fermenting 2 good weeks, the wines in general neither are stuck nor filtered, and are matured out of barrels from 12 to 18 months on average. All that gives this Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2007, rich and velvety, with the nose prevailed by spices and the red small fruits with core, coloured, very good scent in mouth with notes of liquorice and ripe strawberry, with melted tannins, persistent, of very good evolution. The 2006, with the nuances of violet, currant and pepper, at supple tannins and well present at the same time, are a wine with much structure, very delicate concentrate but, all finally. Superb Charms-Chambertin Grand Cru 2007, with the connotations of black cherry so ripe, blackcurrant and pepper, cordial mouth as it should be, a long final. Very typified Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Sentiers 2007 is fleshy, rich and intense stops some, marked by its soil, with the undergrowth and cherry perfume, a wine of robe intense, elegant and distinguished ruby, of guard. Excellent Morey Premier Cru Faconnière 2007, very scented (fresh black small fruits, humus…), with this point of morello cherry quite ripe characteristic, a very full wine, of beautiful presence to the palate, intense robe. Typified well, the Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Aux Petites Noix 2007, with very well-balanced tannins, combines structure and roundness in mouth, with the nose enchanting of truffle and violet, spiced and fullbodied, it is a powerful wine, obviously still very young.

Winegrowing of 12 ha. Superb Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas 2006, of robe intense crimson, very marked by its soil, with the nose prevailed by the ripe fruits, the violet and liquorice, always very typified, a tasty and distinguished, powerful and persistent wine in mouth, with intense savors with prevailing of vanilla and undergrowth. 2005 are a fleshy wine, typified well, with tannins present, rich and intense in mouth, with the nose marked by scents of blackberry and well stocked with game nuances, of a beautiful spiced final. Beautiful 2004, with the aromas of violet and blackberry, a wine fleshy, with game notes, fullbodied, of a beautiful final, all in mouth. 2003, with silky and rich tannins at the same time, the intense blackcurrant bouquet, of musk, are a great wine firm, solid, of beautiful structure, guard. 2002 very harmonious, are very scented (fresh red fruits, humus…), with these spice and blackberry keys characteristic of its soil. Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Chezeaux 2005, with the nose prevailed by leather and raspberries, of a beautiful intensity in mouth, combines distinction and richness, a beautiful full and very tasty wine, of a beautiful final, traditional as they are liked, of very good evolution. Tasty Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru red Les Petits Monts 2006, with this nose marked by ripe raspberry aromas and this characteristic truffle point. Always taste Bourgogne Hautes-côtes-de-Nuits red fermented Vieilles Vignes.