La Lumière Noire: 2019 Burgundy - Côte de Nuits

BY NEAL MARTIN | DECEMBER 22, 2020

The second part of my 2019 Burgundy report focuses on the Côte de Nuits. Before broaching the wines, there is one subject that kept cropping up during conversations with winemakers, one not only germane to the vintage in question, but also future vintages. I kept hearing the word “degeneration” and never pursued it further. When I asked for further explanation, I found they referred to a particular rootstock, 161-49. It is a problem child that could have major ramifications.

We Need To Talk About 161-49

Theoretically, 161-49 rootstock should be ideal for Burgundy because it has a high tolerance to limestone and dry conditions. However in recent years, vineyard managers began noticing vines grafted onto 161-49 were shrinking at an alarming rate, even in some of Burgundy’s most revered vineyards. There is no cure. The only remedy is to uproot the vines and consequently you might be saying au revoir to some of your most beloved labels. Marie-Andrée Mugneret at Mugneret-Gibourg is increasingly concerned about their prized holding of Ruchottes-Chambertin that was only replanted a few years ago. Could vine age be a factor? Loïc Dugat-Py told me: “We have some 161-49 rootstock. We don’t have any problem with the older vines that are 50 or 60 years old, but the vines that are 10 to 20 years old seem to degenerate. I think it is because of the increasing temperatures and the lack of water.” 

Dugat-Py was not the only person to point towards climate change as one cause. “Everything planted in the 1980s does badly,” Alec Seysses explaine. “We find the grafting is important. The standard graft is Omega and is often done by machine. But we find the greffe anglaise [basically a diagonal cut] is better but that has to be done by hand. We have changed nursery.”

Not everyone is negative.

“We do not have this problem,” Alessandro Noli told me when I visited Clos de Tart. “It could be a question of the quality and interaction with the grafted material or with the terroir. I talk a lot with nurseries. But it’s a good rootstock.” 

Boris Champy posing amongst the golden autumnal hue of his Le Clous vineyard in the Hautes-Côtes.

Boris Champy takes a different view. His vines contain a lot of 161-49, but found no degeneration. He suggested that the cause could be the shock of vines being converted to biodynamics and receiving less potassium in the soil. His vines, inherited from Didier Montchovet, have had over four decades to become accustomed to biodynamics, which has afforded them some form of resistence. 

You’ll hear more about this in the future. 

A Conversation: The 2019 In Côte de Nuits?

You: “We covered the Côte de Beaune in part one and now it’s time for the Côte de Nuits. What are we looking at in terms of the 2019 reds?”

“Generally, we are looking at another growing season with expressive, at times almost flamboyant aromatics. The reds are highly perfumed with accentuated floral characteristics are often utterly seductive. The aromatics are delineated and focused: black cherries, wild strawberry, orange zest and blood orange, occasionally cassis on riper Pinot Noirs, violet and iris petals, more rose petals in Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey, often with an underlying earthiness.”

“On the palate?”

“First and foremost, the warmth of the growing season is brilliantly disguised or subsumed into the character of many wines. It is remarkable, almost irrational, how the finest 2019s maintain detail, clarity and tension and sapid finishes, thanks to reasons already outlined. Their acidic nerve underpins the success of 2019. These are vivid and bright wines, shiny as a new button. The fruit is often intense but rarely overblown or marred by overripe characteristics like prune or raisin. Grape skins were not too thick so they are not like 2005 where the wines were so structured and tough and are taking a long time to come around. The 2019s reds will be more approachable, yet they have the balance and substance to repay cellaring.” 

“Let’s examine the Côte de Nuits appellation by appellation like we did for the Côte de Beaune, starting with Nuits Saint-Georges.”

Me: “That seems logical.” 

You: “Do we need to linger on Nuits Saints-Georges? It has no Grand Crus. Maybe that’s why I never really pay it full attention.”

Me: “That’s a pity. No, there are no Grand Crus. Scientists can invent a cure for Covid quicker than it takes authorities to decide whether to promote Les Saint-Georges. Maybe the appellation lacks the drawing power of a superstar winemaker. But really interesting things are happening here. Nuits Saint-Georges excels in 2019 and provides rich pickings for those prepared to spend but are not millionaires, particularly in the north of the appellation where Premier Crus such as Aux Murgers and Les Boudots borrow Vosne-Romanée’s floral attributes and silky textures.”

“So I should head there?”

“Not necessarily. Les Pruliers to the south of the town performed very well, perhaps because the soil is slightly more clayey than others. Check out some of the examples from Henri Gouges, Robert Chevillon or Jean Grivot.” 

Maxime Rion, together with his father Patrice, is making some marvellous wines from the winery in Prémeaux-Prissey.

“Who is leading the way?”

“Certainly Domaine Robert Chevillon has been extremely consistent in the last decade. Brothers Denis and Bertrand preside over several of the appellation’s finest Premier Crus and conjure fruit-driven, sensual, quiet plush wines, the absence of stems lending them purity and approachability. Their Les Saint-Georges and Vaucrains are consistently outstanding and in 2019 their run of form continues. Also look out for Domaine Patrice Rion. Patrice’s son Maxime is really knocking the ball out of the park with satin-textured, complex wines that reach their apogee in Clos St-Marc, advantaged by deep sponge-like soils that could retain moisture during the dry summer. I am also a fan of Domaine Tawse where Pascal Marchand and Mark Fincham oversee one of the most impressive portfolios in the Côte d’Or. Their wines deserve more kudos. Overall, I was really pleased by the quality of wines in this appellation and most remain value-for-money compared to Vosne-Romanée or Gevrey-Chambertin”