Wine Advisor
Pinson Freres, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2021 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru comes from 2.5-hectares from parcels located from the bottom to the top of the slope, 20% fermented in new oak and aged entirely in wood. It has quite a powerful bouquet; although, I think it would have been a little more sharp with some proportion raised in stainless steel. The palate is well balanced with good weight, a subtle nuttiness on the entry, notes of orange rind and citrus peel; the 2021 is quite linear on the finish and lingers nicely in the mouth. I think this will gain complexity by the time it is bottled next year.
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.
