Wine Advisor
Bruno Clavelier, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulees Vieilles Vignes 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées Vieilles Vignes comes from vines planted just after the Second World War. It has a potent bouquet with a mixture of black and red fruit, a slight tinniness suggesting a touch of reduction at the moment, yet it is still very well defined and focused. The palate is well balanced with tannins that gently but insistently grip the mouth. It is deceptively approachable on the entry, the structure more perceptible toward the mineral-rich finish. It does not possess the persistence of say, a Les Suchots or Malconsorts, but this is more concerned with precision and tension. What a great wine from Bruno.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(13.2% natural alcohol; 28 hectoliters per hectare produced in 2016; from a steep, mostly south-facing slope with good sun exposure but also a cooling influence from the combe to preserve acidity; from calcaire à chaille with no clay): Bright dark red. A step up in complexity on the nose from the foregoing wines, boasting a compelling perfume of raspberry, cranberry, licorice, menthol and rose petal. At once silky and cutting, offering a captivating combination of textural thickness and penetrating flavors of crushed red berries and stone. A terrific sappy fruit bomb with serious mineral tautness and grip. Finishes very long, with a fine dusting of tannins. The distinctive hot-cold balance of this site allows it to benefit from either cold or warm years, according to Clavelier.
About the Producer
Domaine Bruno Clavelier is located in the Vosne-Romanee region of the Cote de Nuits in Burgundy, France. This region is known for producing some of the finest and most expensive Pinot Noirs in the world, and is the source of the famous Romanee Conti. Founded in the late 18th century, the estate suffered from phylloxera, downy mildew and powdery mildew from 1935 to 1955, before gradually developing under the leadership of Joseph Brosson, and in 1935 it was run by Antoine Clavelier, whose dedication to quality made the estate famous. In 1987, the winery was taken over by Antoine's son Bruno Clavelier, a former rugby player who went on to study winemaking at the University of Dijon. His knowledge of the region's geography and climate, as well as viticultural techniques and the characteristics of French oak, enabled him to bring the winery into the ranks of Burgundy's finest wines, and in 2003 his wife, Valerie, joined him. The vineyards are located in the Vaughan-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Corton-Rognet and Nuits-Saint-Georges regions. The vines in the vineyards were replanted after the phylloxera outbreak of 1930-1940 and are mostly Pinot Noir vines over 80 years old. These old vines produce very limited yields and have deep roots, allowing them to absorb the minerals in the soil. The vines are cultivated using traditional methods and biodynamic methods, with only a small amount of organic fertiliser. In addition, the vineyard uses capsules containing female moth pheromones to interfere with moth reproduction in order to reduce pest infestation and avoid the use of insecticides. The winery's philosophy is to minimise human intervention so that the wines can perfectly reflect the terroir of the region. The grapes are selected and harvested by hand during the harvest season. The grapes are returned to the cellar in small baskets for secondary sorting. Depending on the characteristics of the vineyard and the vintage, around 5-20% of the grapes are kept whole, while the rest are destemmed. The grapes are then poured into conical oak barrels and gently pressed by hand to extract the flavours from the skins. The fermentation process lasts around 3 weeks and the wine is monitored at regular intervals twice a day. After fermentation, the wine is stored in oak barrels from the Troncais and Allier regions of France for 16 to 18 months. The wines are then bottled in the cellar at a time to suit the season and weather conditions. The wines are not filtered or clarified before bottling and are filled with inert gas after bottling to maximise the aromas of the wines. The wines of Vosne-Romanee La Combe Brulee, Vosne-Romanee Les Hautes Maizieres Vieilles Vignes and Aux Brulees Vieilles Vignes have won many awards. The 2009 vintage of Aux Brulees Vieilles Vignes was awarded 94 points by Wine Spectate.
