2020 Côte de Nuits

This is one of the most complete Gevrey village wines you will find: multiple parcels scattered around the village which are vinified in three parts. One part comes from the light stony soil at the bottom of the valley, giving a cool elegance; the second is a cluster of parcels in the middle of the village on clay soil, giving body and structure; the third is a group of parcels below the grands crus, giving a complexity and finesse. The vines are all aged between 45 and 85 years, and the concentration and complexity this wine delivers for the price is hard to beat. It is a serious wine in 2020, with excellent depth of flavour and a distinctly dry, savoury finish.

Rossignol-Trapet owns two very fine parcels of this formidable grand cru. The vines were mostly planted in the 1950s, with a small section of young vines planted in 2000, and another small section planted way back in 1919. This is such a handsome wine in 2020, with magnificent structural texture, and a sophisticated length. It builds and builds, and will age with the best.

The clay soils of this well-placed parcel produce a wine of depth and roundness. Like the Etelois, there is some black fruit mingled in with the red, and an expressive, aromatic depth. The tannins provide a little more grip than the village wines, and will demand a few more years in the cellar. There is a spicy accent to the wine, and a long, balanced, savoury finish.

This is the only parcel the domaine bottles separately from the other Gevrey village parcels. That is thanks to its quite incredible situation, and the consistency of quality it delivers every year. It is sandwiched just between grands crus Charmes-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. It’s almost unbelievable it’s only a village lieu-dit. The Rossignol-Trapet vines lie right alongside the Joseph Roty Charmes Vieilles Vignes parcel, but the soil is more like Griotte-Chambertin just to the north. There is just a hint of black fruit depth combined with the red fruit freshness, something reminiscent of cassis and cherries. The tannins are well-formed, offering structure and frame, but not imposing too heavily on the fruit.

Cool air comes down the valley between Morey-St-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin, meaning Latricières is a little slower to mature than the other Gevrey grands crus. In 2020 it is a highlight in the Rossignol-Trapet cellar. There is such tender, sweet red fruit on the nose, with a delicate enticing palate. Its graceful tannins make it appealing to drink now, but with some age this will take on even more depth and weight.

This was the first parcel they converted to biodynamics in 1997, so this lovely vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin has now benefitted from over two decades of low-intervention farming. It is also planted with a north/south orientation, and has fared well in the recent series of warm vintages. 2020 is no exception. It is wonderfully aromatic and has a beautifully long, understated finish.