From: Burgundy, France
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Taste: This gorgeous red presents a harmonious balance of fresh, lively red and black fruits, underpinned by a firm minerality. An initial note of austerity gives way to a subtle interplay of elegance and savory elements, with a whisper of dusty spice adding intrigue. Despite its youth, the wine shows striking sophistication, avoiding heavy oak influences to allow the purity of the fruit to shine.
Pairing: When considering pairings, consider complementing the wine's earthy, fresh fruit flavors and high acidity. This Pinot Noir works exceptionally well with dishes featuring mushrooms, truffles, or other earthy flavors (check out the recipe below). Consider a hearty beef bourguignon or a lamb roast for a fulfilling main course. Its naturally high acidity cuts through the richness of these dishes, providing a delightful contrast. Lighter fare like mushroom risotto can also play nicely with this wine, and heartier picnic selections like grilled meats.
Mushroom Bourguignon
By Melissa Clark
About. There is an understated majesty in every bottle of wine from the Domaine Jérôme Chezeaux, an estate in Prémeaux-Prissey, just south of Nuits Saint Georges. From its foundations in 1930, built by Julien Missery, to its vibrant present, guided by the father-daughter duo of Jérôme and Lyse Chezeaux, this estate is a testament to the timelessness of traditional winemaking and a beacon of the Côte de Nuits' ongoing renaissance.
Neal Rosenthal first encountered Jérôme Chézeaux in the mid-1990s, a fortuitous meeting that dovetailed with his burgeoning aspiration to increase the bottling of estate wines, a goal he had maintained since inheriting the domaine from his father, Bernard, in 1993. His vision - coupled with the assistance of his daughter Lyse, who joined in 2016 - has invigorated the family enterprise and revitalized the face of the Côte d'Or. Today, Domaine Jérôme Chezeaux exemplifies the balance between tradition and innovation, held within its 12 hectares of vineyards.
Chezeaux follows a firm non-interventionist approach in the cellar, ensuring the purity and elegance of his wines. Each wine undergoes cold maceration of 3 to 4 days following a manual harvest, and cuvaison extends for approximately three weeks. The wines mature with native yeasts exclusively, and malolactic fermentation occurs in small oak barrels. A careful replacement of a quarter to one-third of barrels annually keeps the exposure of wines to new oak at a maximum of 30%. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered and see 18 to 24 months in barrel.
The vineyards themselves are maintained with a dedication to the principles of lutte raisonnée, employing organic fertilizer and synthetic treatments only when necessary. They boast an average vine age of 35 years and yields controlled through severe winter pruning and de-budding. These soils and vines have given birth to the 2019 Jérôme Chezeaux Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir.
The 2019 Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir, sourced from several sectors of Nuits and Prémeaux covering 2.8 hectares, is an exquisite introduction to the Domaine's offerings. AMPS Wine Merchants aptly compared Chezeaux to a rugby player - a seemingly stark contrast to the seductive wines he produces. This wine, a relatively sleek Bourgogne Rouge, unencumbered by oak influence, reflects the classic characteristics of wines from around Nuits Saint Georges: bright, lively acidity, red and black fruits, and a savory elegance.
On the palate, the wine offers a balance of dark berry fruits, bright acidity, and dusty spice, underlined by a firm minerality. While the wine can be enjoyed now, aging it for another five years will lend extra depth and character (we highly recommend holding on to this wine for another five years). It is truly a wine that embodies the rich tradition of Burgundy - honest, pure, and resonating with an unshowy classicism. It is the essence of the southern tier of the Côte de Nuits, a testament to the compelling nuance of this wine region.
