GEVREY CHAMBERTIN

2011 Domaine J. Confuron Cotetidot

EN PRIMEUR

There black fruits and red fruits on the nose quite sweet and ripe. The palate has depth with the richness of black fruits but the power is balanced by some red fruited freshness. Black cherry and bramble enriches the finish. 2014-20 Rating: 92 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Dec 2013)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

Bluer than most. Marked acidity but some richness of chestnut-like fruit. Slightly bitter walnut-skin finish but it does express the village. 2015-2023 Rating: 16- Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2013)

(the majority of this comes from Champs-Chenys, which is situated next to Charmes and it tends to be more elegant than most Gevrey villages wines). An attractively fresh and expressive nose speaks of newly turned earth, dark berry and a hint of the sauvage leads to intense, detailed and lightly mineral-inflected medium-bodied flavors that are supported by firm but relatively refined tannins on the dusty, mouth coating and beautifully balanced finish. This is a Gevrey villages of refinement and grace. Recommended but note that cellaring it is a must. 2021+ Rating: 89-91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Jan 2013)

Rating: 91 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Dec 2012)

Dark and more upright aroma. Lovely energy and it is streamlined. This has tighter tannins and is pure on the finish. Dark with notes of liquorish and spice. There is a black pepper lift on the finish. Very good. I do like this. From 2017 Rating: Score 16.25 Sarah Marsh MW, The Burgundy Briefing (Nov 2012)

Vignerons since the seventeenth century, the Confuron family has always selected and propagated vines to ensure that their plant material produces the highest quality, and they even have a clone of Pinot named after them - 'Pinot Confuron'.

The domaine has several Grands Cru vineyards as well as two hectares of the great Vosne Romanée Premier Cru 'Les Suchots'. There are around 12 hectares in all. The vines have never seen chemical weedkillers, and are ploughed and managed organically.

The Confurons have always used whole-bunch fermentation, picking very late, which really is a necessity if the stems are to be properly ripe and not give green flavours to the wine. A bit like the Thévenets with their whites in the Mâconnais, they pick so much later that they can seem to have different vintages to everyone else. Yves thinks that 2007 was their great vintage of the first decade of this millennium, and he'd probably be the only grower in the Côte de Nuits who would say that. Yves also makes the wines at Domaine de Courcelin Pommard, in the same way.

Yves, opinionated and laconical as ever, dismisses those who make pale wines by 'infusion' and says that failing to get the whole bunches properly ripe - and using all the bunch - is failing to get everything the terroir can offer. The wines he makes are dark, richly concentrated, and often hard to taste in their development, but experience shows that they age brilliantly. Defending his decision to pick late, he once said 'you miss the differentiation between vintages' if you don't - making 'cut-and-paste' wines which are the same every year... if you pay for a seat at the opera, you don't want to hear a variety singer'.

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STORAGE OPTIONS:

Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information.

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BURGUNDY EN PRIMEUR FAQ

OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation.

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