2017 Chambolle-Musigny Derrière La Grange 1er Cru

I almost missed my appointment with Christian Amiot. Ringing the doorbell at their tasting room, I was met by deathly silence. Nipping round to the winery near the church in Chambolle-Musigny, I found the door open but not a soul inside. I was about to leave when I heard a holler from the first floor, and thankfully the tasting could go ahead. I commenced visiting this address a few years ago, Amiot’s daughter Prune guiding me through the wines. She took a couple of years out to have her child but seems back in the fray. The vineyards have been organically farmed since 2003 (AB certified) and in recent years they have moderated the use of whole bunches, as evidenced by figures in the tasting notes. In 2017 most crus are vinified with between 10% and 30% whole bunches, except for Les Feusselottes and Les Borniques, which include 100% stems. I did ask Christian Amiot the date of picking, but the best he could provide was a vague “beginning of September” as he could not recollect the exact day. These wines always have a modern sheen to them, erring more towards black rather than red fruit. I am never quite sure why that is, given the modus operandi. As such, they do require bottle age. The roster includes a number of propitious vineyards, not least their prize holding in Les Amoureuses that is challenged by a superb 2017 from Derrière La Grange. Like Dominique Leguen at Hudelot-Baillet, they released a debut Chambolle-Musigny from Les Borniques, just a single 400-litre barrel that looks promising, although I might just prefer Leguen’s at this stage.