Wine Advisor
Jerome Chezeaux, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2009 Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots is one of the highlights in this set of 2009s. It is a totally complete, harmonious wine imbued with the essence of dark fruit, sweet spices, menthol and leather, all of which are supported by a firm vein of minerality. Intensely perfumed and mineral through to the finish, the Suchots delivers incredible class and sheer pedigree. The round, harmonious finish completes the wine beautifully. It will be fascinating to see where this goes from here. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. Jerome Chezeaux farms a total of 11.2 hectares of vineyards, of which 6.6 are estate owned. The fruit is 100% destemmed. Chezeaux favors fairly lengthy macerations. New oak levels are on the low side. As is the case at many estates, the 2009s have a slight upper hand in many of the entry and mid-level wines, while at the high end the 2008s are superb. Either way, these are some of the most beautiful, classically built wines I tasted on my trip. Patience is required, though, as these are sturdy wines that need bottle age. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990
About the Producer
Château Geoffroy Chézeaux was founded by Julien Missery in the 1930s. In 1971, Bernard Chézeaux, the father of the current owner, took over the management and, in the context of the times, chose to sell the entire harvest to a wine merchant as his main business. Jérôme, who was born in the 1970s, therefore recalls that his life has been inextricably linked to the vineyard since he was a teenager. When Bernard died in 1993, it was only natural that the winery was passed on to Jérôme, who had just graduated from the oenological school in Bern at the age of 17. He took over the responsibility of the winery and, thanks to his upbringing in the vineyards and winemaking, as well as the up-to-date knowledge and contacts imparted by the school, he was able to take over the reins and, in keeping with the trend of the time, courageously set up an independent winery, reducing the portion sold to the wine merchants year by year and now producing and selling 100% of the wine himself. The winery is located in the village of Prémeaux Prissey, immediately south of the village of Saint George de Nuit, and has been considered part of the village of Saint George de Nuit since time immemorial. In addition to the vineyards inherited from his father, and the plots inherited from his wife Pierrette, Château Geronceau has now grown to nearly 12 hectares. These 12 hectares include a number of valuable First Growths and Grand Crus, which have helped the estate to make a name for itself and become a familiar name to many Bourgogne enthusiasts. The Grand Cru, Les Suchots and Les Chaumes in the highly sought-after Vonn Romanée, the Aux Boudots in the village of St Georges de la Nuit next to the Malconsorts, Les Pruliers, Les Vaucrains, and other famous 1er Cru, make up the estate's attractive 14-vineyard range. Jérôme's traditional Bourgogne terroir and winemaking ethos, nurtured since childhood, combined with modern changes in winemaking techniques, have resulted in an eclectic and appealing style. The wine is harvested by hand, 100% destemmed and cold macerated for 3 to 4 days. The wine is fermented slowly and patiently for up to 4 weeks using only native yeasts to retain the finesse and elegance that is the hallmark of the estate. Small oak barrels are used, with around 30% new barrels, after which the wine is also given a long enough period of ageing, up to 24 months, before being bottled unfiltered. The style of Château Geoffroy Corso has a clear terroir transmission, clearly showing the differences between the location of the plots and the soils. Sweet fruit flavours dominate, still retaining a core of ageing strength. Elegant structure and fine acidity make for a sweet but not sweet tasting, revealing the most seductive and sensual side of Pinot Noir.
