Wine Advisor
Robert Groffier, Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2016
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru has a tightly wound bouquet with red cherries, raspberry and touches of crushed strawberry. The wine comes across as well defined if just missing some joie-de-vivre that thankfully evolves with time. Conservative for an Amoureuses, but that is a virtue because there is a beguiling effortlessness here. And that translates across to the palate: very well judged acidity, structured and with disarming purity and elegance on the sensual finish. Complete. Stunning. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses was matured in 15% new oak, a drastic reduction than previous vintages to express the terroir. It is 100% whole cluster fruit. It has another really quite bewitching bouquet with detailed black and red fruit, crushed violet, just a hint of vanilla pod in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, pure black cherry and blue fruit, outstanding mineralité and a pixelated, crystalline finish that beckons you back for another sip. Unquestionably one of the finest Les Amoureuses that this Domaine has ever produced. Tasted at the Domaine.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(a blend of 75- and 20-year-old vines; vinified with 50% whole clusters and aged in 15% new oak): Saturated dark red. Very ripe scents of dark fruits, minerals and cocoa powder, complemented by a spicy oak element. Plush, silky and deep, offering hints of blue and black fruits lifted by violet and citrus notes. The younger-vines component contributes juiciness and delineation to this wine. Not a powerhouse but impeccably balanced, finishing with very suave, seamless tannins. This wine may well offer early pleasure. Groffier actually made two different cuvées of Amoureuses in 2016; this one comprises about three-quarters of the total. The other cuvée, made from selected parcels, will be held back for a later release.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses was matured in 15% new oak, a drastic reduction than previous vintages to express the terroir. It is 100% whole cluster fruit. It has another really quite bewitching bouquet with detailed black and red fruit, crushed violet, just a hint of vanilla pod in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, pure black cherry and blue fruit, outstanding mineralité and a pixelated, crystalline finish that beckons you back for another sip. Unquestionably one of the finest Les Amoureuses that this Domaine has ever produced. Tasted at the Domaine.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru has a tightly wound bouquet with red cherries, raspberry and touches of crushed strawberry. The wine comes across as well defined if just missing some joie-de-vivre that thankfully evolves with time. Conservative for an Amoureuses, but that is a virtue because there is a beguiling effortlessness here. And that translates across to the palate: very well judged acidity, structured and with disarming purity and elegance on the sensual finish. Complete. Stunning. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.
About the Producer
The Groffier family are among the best wine makers in the Côte de Nuits. Originally founded by Robert Groffier’s father, Jules in the 1950s, the domaine is now run by Robert’s grandson, Nicolas. The domaine consists of almost 8 ha of fine vineyards, including 1 ha of Bonnes Mares, almost 0.5 ha of Chambertin Clos de Bèze and a full 1 ha of Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses (the biggest single owner of this vineyard). The wine making technique is flexible and the proportion of stems to be retained is decided annually. nowadays, up to 20% of stems are retained, compared to 50% 20 years ago. The destemed grapes are transferred to stainless steel vats without crushing and cooled to 10-12 degrees so the natural yeast fermentation starts 4-5 days later – to allow further extraction of colour from the skins. Frequent short pigeages are done, and the temperature is allowed to rise up to 35 degrees – which retains even more colour to the liquid. After 17-20 days maceration, the temperature descends to 20-22 degrees and after pressing age in oak, the percentage of new one vary per cuvée and vintage – from none to the Bourgogne to up to 100% for the grand crus. The wines are only racked once, usually only a year after the vintage. The wines return to vat as the new vintage is put into barrel, so only one vintage is in barrel at any time. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration.
