Today’s Story: Chanterêves
Chanterêves is a very small domain and négociant located in Savigny-lès-Beaune of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, and it was established in 2010 by the husband and wife team of Tomoko Kuriyama and Guillaume Bott. Tomoko was born in Japan, but cut her teeth making wines in the Rheingau wine region of Germany after graduating with an engineering degree in oenology & viticulture from Geisenheim University. Guillaume, on the other hand, is a native of Burgundy and began his wine career with Domaine Etienne Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet before moving to Domaine Simon Bize in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
Though Tomoko and Guillaume now own about 5 hectares (~12 acres) of their own vineyards, they continue to purchase small quantities of organic fruit from vineyards throughout Burgundy. All of their owned fruit is also farmed organically, though they utilize biodynamic principles as well but are not certified. Working with the classic Burgundian varieties of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Aligoté, Tomoko and Guillaume practice minimal intervention winemaking with large percentages of whole cluster fermentation, only native yeasts, and very low SO2 additions. The wines age largely in used oak barrels with very little new oak, and SO2 is added only if necessary during aging and prior to bottling. The reds are bottled unfined and unfiltered, while the whites are bottled unfined but with occasional light filtration.
Today’s Wine: 2018 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Paris l’Hopital
100% Pinot Noir; 13% ABV
The 2018 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Paris l’Hopital is pale to medium ruby in color. This really opens up nicely in the glass over 45 minutes or so, showcasing aromas of medium intensity. The nose displays notes of dried cherry, black raspberry, red rose, leather, crushed rock, and underbrush. There’s a gorgeous stream of minerality on the nose as well, and overall it’s downright pretty and pure. Meanwhile the flavors are also of medium intensity, with the palate showing notes of black cherry, stemmy strawberry, cranberry, dried green herbs, and crushed rock minerality. This dry red is medium-bodied with high acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol, and a medium (+) length finish. Certainly young and therefore not too complex yet, but this is so unbelievably pure it’s nearly crazy.
Price: $46 (less in Europe). This offers incredible value for red Burgundy, and is well worth seeking out. The purity, freshness, and mineral backbone paired with this wine’s elegance and honest representation of its terroir is truly impressive, especially for the price.
JB's Wine Talk 