Domaine
Jean Chauvenet crafts concentrated, lushly textured – and delicious --
Nuits St. Georges wines. The Chauvenet family traces its roots as
vignerons in Nuits St. Georges back to 1680. Jean Chauvenet expanded
the family holdings to include several 1er Cru vineyard plots while
also increasing the amount of wine that was bottled at the domaine
instead of being sold to negociants. Jean retired in 1994 and
Christophe Drag, his son-in-law, assumed the management of the domain.
The
estate owns 9.5 hectares of vineyards across the Nuits St. Georges
appellation. About 75% of the vines are Nuits “villages” while the
balance consists of select parcels in the finest 1er Cru vineyards
sites. The vines average 45 years of age and are planted in the
traditional high density of 10,000 vines per hectare. Soils on the
northern of Vosne side of the appellation (Damodes, Bousselots) are
primarily pebbles and limestone with a little clay. Soils in the
southern sector (Rue de Chaux, Vaucrains) are deeper, brown limestone.
Drag plants grass between the rows of vines for two reasons: they
create a natural competition for water on the surface, thus forcing the
vine roots to search deeper in the soil for water and nutrients,
keeping the grapes small and concentrated. Further, the grasses also
absorb a great deal of surface water that naturally reduces the threat
of rot in humid years. Yields average 35hl/ha. Drag prunes severely to
restrict the number of bunches to between 6 and 8 per vine, thereby
avoiding the need to due a major green harvest. Further, Drag trains
his vines in the Guyot Longue fashion, so as to ensure better aeration
and ripening (and lessening the need for treatments.) Harvest is
carried out entirely by hand by a team of 40 pickers and lasts one
week. The grapes are hand-selected in the vineyards before being
transported to the winery.
Christophe
Drag destems all the fruit and begins vinification with a four day,
pre-fermentation cold maceration, at 10 degree Centigrade (the level at
which the yeasts remain inactive.) He believes that this "cold soak"
captures the Pinot Noir’s aromas and flavors and gives silkier tannins.
Fermentation begins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks,
with a 3-4 week maceration period. Drag carries out 2 pigeages per day
to ensure the maximum extraction of color and flavor. The wines are
aged for 18 to 20 months in barrels, of which 15% (for the Nuits AC) or
20-25% (for the 1ers Crus) are new. Drag prefers a very slow malolactic
fermentation because it diminishes the wine’s SO2 level while enhancing
freshness and purity of flavor. He racks the wines off their lees and
then assembles the cuvees in tank for one month before bottling without
fining or filtration in April or May.
The Nuits St Georges AOC derives
from 5 parcels of vines in the northern part of the appellation that
gives more generous wines. The parcels (Saint Jacques, Les Allots, Les
Lavieres, Les Charmottes, and Les Athees) are located at the base of
the slope, where the soils are richest and warmest. The vines average
40 years of age. Commenting on the 2005 vintage, Wine Spectator captures its essence: “Terrific
expression. Rich, wild berry and black fruit aromas and flavors get
texture from the dense tannins. Yet it all remains fresh and
delineated, with mineral and earth notes on the long, energetic
finish.” ( 92 score. WS, 11/15/07, p. 202)
The Domaine Chauvenet owns one half a hectare of 33-year- old vines in the Nuits St Georges 1er Cru
Bousselots. This vineyard is located on the north side of the village of Nuits
on a soil made up of limestone, sand, pebbles and fossilized oysters. It has
intense, very expressive black-cherry, cassis fruit and an expansive bouquet,
underpinned by the minerality of the terroir. Wine Spectator (WS Insider,
10/15/08) rates the 2006 vintage Bousselots 92 points and describes it as
“well-oaked and concentrated, this assertive red has a core of raspberry,
cherry, iron and earth flavors.”
The Nuits St Geroges 1er Cru Rue de Chaux
climat is located just south of the town of Nuits, in the middle section of the
appellation. It is the first 1er Cru climat in the band of 1er Crus south of
Nuits. Here the Domaine Chauvenet owns about ¼ of a hectare of vines that are 70
years of age. The warm soil and old vines gives a sumptuous wine, with rich
black cherry and berry fruit. Wine Spectator acclaims its “gorgeous black cherry
and black currant fruit flavors [which] are shaded by iron and mineral elements. Lively
with firm tannins and intensity that builds through the long, mineral-infused
aftertaste. (92 score WS 11/15/07)
Possibly the Domaine’s top wine, the Nuits St
Georges 1er Cru Vaucrains, is located in the southern part of the appellation
that is acknowledged to have its best climats, on the Premeaux border. This is
because of the ripeness and intensity of the wines. The deep soil is an even
blend of limestone and clay mixed with rocks. Chauvenet’s Vaucrains, made from
42-year- old vines, is a massive wine, combining power, profundity and deeply
layered-fruit Between 150 and 200 case are produced annually. Wine Spectator
described the 2006 Vaucrains (91 points) as “well-muscled and compact, this
displays a core of concentrated blackberry and black cherry notes, accented by
earth and mineral….Needs time.” Indeed, Vaucrains is universally considered to
be the slowest to evolve, but the most rewarding – “..oh, so majestic when
mature” is Serene Sutcliffe’s phrase -- of the Nuits Premier Crus.
