Wine Advisor
Pinson Freres, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2020 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru, which was bottled in February, has a perfumed, slightly floral bouquet that maybe just needs a little more complexity. Perhaps I prefer the Mont-de-Milieu tasted alongside. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, quite saline with a long tail on the finish. I feel this just needs a little more bottle age. Fine.
About the Producer
Domaine Pinson Freres, located in the Chablis region in the far north of Burgundy, France, has its roots in an old family of local winemakers. The vineyards at Binson Brothers are all located in the heart of Chablis and comprise 2.94 hectares of Chablis vineyards, 7.02 hectares of Chablis Premier Cru and 2.57 hectares of Chablis Grand Cru. The cold climate of the Chablis region contributes to the finesse of the wines and the brisk acidity of the region. The famous Kimmeridgian soils, rich in fossilised oyster shells, give the wines their full mineral flavour. In addition to the natural conditions, Benson Brothers also devotes a great deal of attention to the management of the vineyard, using methods such as Cuyo pruning, de-budding and green harvesting to control yields per unit and obtain more intense fruit flavours. The winery respects the terroir and refuses to use chemical herbicides and pesticides in its conservation efforts to reduce environmental damage. During the harvest season, all the grapes are harvested by hand in whole bunches to keep them fresh and intact. The grapes are screened twice after arrival at the winery. Out of a belief in terroir, the winemaking process at Benson Brothers is adapted to the plot and vintage in order to bring out the terroir of each plot. For example, new oak barrels are used for fermenting some of the grapes from the Premier and Grand Crus, while stainless steel barrels are used for the rest of the estate. The wines are aged for 9 months at village level, 12 months at first growth and 18-24 months at grand cru level. Benson Brothers has produced nine Chardonnay wines, including a fresh, mineral and floral Chablis white; a concentrated, fruity Chablis 1er Cru; and a rich, powerful Les Clos, a perfect expression of the Grand Cru terroir. The wines have been featured several times in specialist wine magazines such as Hachette Guild, as well as in international competitions such as the Decanter World Wine Awards.
