Wine Advisor
Simon Bize, Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru 2005
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: David Schildknecht
For the past dozen years, the Bize family has vinified a small lot of Gevrey grand cru. Their 2005 Latricieres-Chambertin offers aromas of black cherry, cedar, and charred meat. The mouth is dominated by cooked cherry, roasted red meats, and a formidable load of tannin. Intense fruit skin, char, and chalk in the finish cap this picture of the somberly-concentrated side of 2005, but one lacking the brightness of fresh fruit acidity and mineral salinity that make the best Bize Savignys so invigorating and intriguing. I would want to follow the short-term evolution of the tannins and taste how this evolves. Malolactic fermentations took place without delay and Patrick Bize had bottled many of the wines already in November. A significant portion of whole clusters were included in most of the fermentations. Wines from this address seldom make concessions to early drinkability or cheap thrills, and the inherently concentrated, darkly toned 2005s are certainly no exception. A Becky Wassserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70.
About the Producer
Domaine Simon Bize et Fils, located in the village of Savigny-les-Beaune in the Cote de Beaune in Burgundy, France, is a large and well-known winery in this appellation. Château Simon-Bizzi has several vineyards in the Côte de Bern, the largest of which is 22 hectares in the village of Savigny-les-Beaune, while the rest of the vineyards are located in Aloxe-Corton, the Pernand-Vergelesses appellation, etc. The remaining vineyards are located in Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses, etc. The estate also has a 1/3 hectare Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin, the Latricieres-Chambertin. The soil is poor and shallow marl and limestone, and the Pinot Noir vines were planted in the 1961, 1971 and 1981 vintages. The wines produced here are characterised by a powerful style, but the richness of the palate adds a touch of elegance and finesse to round off the wines. Of the first growths, Vergelesses is the best. Situated on a steep slope, it covers 2.2 hectares and is planted in a 2:1 ratio of Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, with vintages of 1939, 1949 and 1954. The terroir is sandy marl and limestone, which produces aromatic red wines with great ageing potential and is therefore considered one of the finest red wine regions in Savigny. The vineyards are managed by Simon and Sons in a flexible manner, especially in terms of pest control, which is not stereotyped but adapted to the time and place, resulting in very healthy and high quality grapes. The vineyard currently produces an average of 25-40 hectolitres/ha of red wine and 40-50 hectolitres/ha of white wine per year. At present, Simon & Sons offers a total of 16 wines, both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wines are of exceptional quality and are widely acclaimed, with the 2009 vintage of Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses, Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru, France, winning accolades for its elegant and highly individual style, as well as its excellent concentration and It has been awarded 92-94 points by the prestigious wine website, Burgundy Wine (www.Burghound.com).
