2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles

Sometimes, when you have covered a domaine for a long period of time, there comes a vintage that represents the turning of a page. A new chapter opens. That is the case with respect to the 2018 vintage at Domaine Dugat-Py. Their wines have been lauded and yet divided opinion, overtly oaky and modern in style, with the warning that they simply needed time. The wines are so small in quantity and expensive that there are few first-hand accounts of how they actually age, though many were not convinced and actively avoided the wines. Since the reins have been passed to Loïc Dugat-Py, despite assurances that there is no change in modus operandi from his father Bernard, truth is, there is a change in modus operandi and in my opinion, to the benefit of these wines. These 2018s were some of the best that I have tasted at Dugat-Py. In a nutshell, it was the first time that an early picking really paid dividends in terms of freshness and acidity, maybe the first time that I really discerned the imprint of their enviable array of holdings and ancient vines. “There were two seasons," he told me. "The winter was cold with some snow at the beginning of March and then the weather turned dry and warm in the summer, with the "cannicule" in June and from 1 to 12 of August when it was around 34°C. We had 104mm of rain in June, 69mm in July and just 17mm in August. So I was anticipating picking the beginning of September. In the end, I started 29 August in Pommard and Vosne-Romanée and found the health of the grapes very good. The alcohol levels a maximum of 13.5%." Loïc also told me that inspired by Lalou Bize-Leroy, he is using a higher trellising and is still working by horse."