2023 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

“The difficulty of the vintage was the large crop,” Arnaud Mortet explains. “So, in July, we removed half the bunches so that yields could be limited. For Village Crus, the yields are around 47-48 hl/ha and 40-45 hl/ha for the Premier Crus, so it was very important to do this. I began picking on September 12 and harvested over nine or ten days. This meant I could pick at a maximum of 13.8%. I think 2023 needed more alcohol to have flavor, whereas in 2022, the flavors were already there at lower levels of alcohol. I used similar whole bunch as the previous vintage, but it depends on the cuvée, using just the pedicels [removing the central stem and using just the small stems that attach directly to the berry, which Mortet has laboriously undertaken over the last decade]. This required 18-20 people every day. In 2023, I worked a bit differently – some vineyards’ berries were engorged and larger, so I used them to have some juice in the tank.”

Arnaud Mortet, who continues his ceremonial role as the “Roi de Chambertin” during the annual tasting, lives up to that title. This was a showcase of his winemaking talents, a series of enthralling wines packed with flavor and complexity, and a reflection of their respective terroirs. Quantities for the Grand Crus are tiny, but there are plenty of superb entry-level cuvées that are larger in production and more affordable.