Wine Advisor
Robert Groffier, Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru has an engaging, enticing, detailed bouquet of tart red cherry, red currant, crushed stone and subtle undergrowth/fern aromas that gather momentum with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced, with integrated new oak that complements and enhances the substance of this outstanding Chambolle-Musigny. It just feels natural and self-assured at this early stage, which is surely is a good omen for the future. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(bottled the day before my visit; vinified with 90% whole clusters and aged in 50% new oak): Dark red-ruby. Very ripe but sappy aromas of red cherry liqueur and smoky oak. Full, broad, dense and fine-grained, with its sweetness nicely restrained by savory minerality. Carrying a good bit of baby fat but this premier cru is extremely unevolved today. The pliant, saline finish shows terrific tannin management. The crop level was just 20 hectoliters per hectare, noted Groffier, who told me he made 40 in 2016 as the vines were not affected by frost.
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.
