Gevrey Chambertin, Domaine Anne et Sebastien Bidault

Producer Note

Domaine Bidault was established by Sebastien and Anne Bidault in 2008. Born and bred into the world of wine, Sebastien comes from Puligny Montrachet and Anne is from Morey-Saint-Denis. Anne is the daughter of Robert Gibourg with the domaine of that name. Sebastien and Anne produce wines from a small estate in the Côtes de Nuits, which includes tiny plots in Gevrey Chambertin and Chambolle Musigny. They craft good quality, terroir driven wines from old, low yielding vines which are farmed organically.

Vintage

The 2017 vintage in Burgundy enjoyed favourable weather conditions throughout the growing period. The season was marked by an alternation of warm and sunny days, with rainy and overcast days, which allowed the grapes to ripen gradually. The harvest produced homogeneous results with good quality berries and wonderful balance between sugar and acidity. The 2017 is a very good vintage with excellent ageing potential.

Vineyard

The grapes for this Gevrey-Chambertin come from the “lieu-dit” or named plots of ‘les Champs Chenys’, ‘aux Chezeaux’ and ‘les Seuvrées’. The vines were planted in 1901, 1966 and 1921 respectively and the old vines are low yielding, producing berries full of concentrated flavours. Their deep root systems penetrate the layers of soil imparting complexity to the wine. The vines are cultivated according to “la lute raisonnée”, using sustainable agricultural methods in order to respect the land and its environment. Pesticides and herbicides are not used in the cultivation of the vines; instead a regular tilling of the soil is performed to remove weeds. The vines are farmed using organic preparations, although they are not certified organic. The grapes are hand-harvested, selecting only the ripest grapes.

Winemaking

Vinified with minimal intervention. The grapes were carefully sorted and de-stemmed. The whole berries were fermented in temperature controlled tanks for 15 to 20 days. The wine was tasted daily, in order to determine the required amount of pigéage, (punching down of the cap); and ‘remontage’ (pumping over), in order to obtain the desired levels of colour, aroma and flavour extraction. When fermentation was complete, the wine was gently pressed and transferred into barrels, of which one third were new, for 12 to 15 months. Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrel. The wine was lightly filtered, prior to being bottled.

Tasting Note

A well structured Gevrey-Chambertin with a good depth of flavour and a firm finish.

Serving Suggestion

Delicious with game or red meats.

Grape

Pinot Noir 100%