Wine Advisor
Bernard Dugat-Py, Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru 2008
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: David Schildknecht
From an especially rocky portion of Mazoyeres (and one, incidentally, separated from the majority Mazoyeres portion of his Charmes bottling by the vines of Bachelet and Taupenot), Bernard Dugat’s 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Mazoyeres-Chambertin displays licorice and diverse herbal concentrates as well as dark berries, with an underlying sense of chalk and stone that seems to reflect its soil. Gripping, but corseted in tannins, it comes off as a bit austere, and certainly more formidable than loveable. But the overall effect here is quite compelling. I would set bottles aside for a half dozen years before revisiting and then count on following for another 15 years. Interestingly, the share of stems here was “only” around three-quarters, i.e. less than with the majority of Dugat-Py 2008s. “The world is already full of talk about 2009,” said Bernard Dugat late last winter, “but how about 2008?!” Indeed, for growers as successful with that tricky vintage as was Dugat, its neglect rankles with good reason. At a reported 23-25 hectoliters per hectare, Bernard Dugat’s yields in 2008 were low even by his standards, which he says explains his having harvested everything by October 2. (His 2007 harvest commenced August 30, less unusual in its vintage’s context.) Only a couple of lots from 2008 even reached 13% alcohol, yet there is no question as to their ample ripeness or overall concentration. Dugat remained largely faithful to his routine of total vendange entier. He racked the wines in late winter (after which I tasted them) and bottled them in the course of the spring. (The 2008 Petit Chapelle was still full of post-malo gas in early spring of last year and I was never able to properly assess it. For further details on Bernard Dugat’s approach, see my report in issue 170. Many details concerning his sites can be found there as well as in issue 186.) Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800
About the Producer
Domaine Dugat-Py is located in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation and has been rated by Robert Parker as one of the best châteaux in Burgundy. The Dugat family, the founders of Château Dugat, have been making wine for generations and began growing grapes in Gevrey-Chambertin in the early 17th century. The current owner, Bernard Dugat-Py, is the twelfth generation of the family to have dedicated himself to using his unique knowledge of winemaking to work in the vineyards and offer wines in the spirit and style of his ancestors for over four centuries. Château Duga's philosophy in winemaking is to "minimise human intervention", to preserve the original quality of the grapes and to allow the wine to develop fully in the bottle. The majority of vintages in the vineyard are 100% destemmed, but there are exceptions (such as the 2002 vintage). After destemming, the grapes are fermented in concrete or wooden fermenters for 3-4 weeks. The percentage of new oak barrels is renewed depending on the year's production, with a minimum of 20%. After fermentation, the wine is usually aged in wooden barrels for 14-20 months, without clarification or filtration before bottling. The main wines produced by Château Duga include Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin and Gevrey-Chambertin wines. For almost 10 years, this 10-hectare estate has been releasing a succession of great wines, a testament to the Duggar family's constant quest for excellence. The wines produced here, like most Burgundy wines, are intense and full-bodied, none of which are meant to be enjoyed in a short period of time. Even in the lighter vintages, the wines still require 4-6 years of cellaring. In the case of fine wines, even 10-12 years of bottle ageing is required.
