The vine

• Plot /climat

  Grèves

• History

  The "Grèves" climat is the largest in Beaune, covering 31 hectares. Due to its size, the soils within Les Grèves are not uniform. The name "Grèves" refers to "gravel." This gravel has often broken down into silt, and iron oxide is also found in the upper part of the vineyard. Philip Youngman Carter, artist and literary critic, described the wines from Grèves as "gentle velvet delight".

• Soil

  Silty soil at the foot of the slope, becoming more clay-limestone along the incline.

• Our plot(s)

  Surface area: 8 ares. Located between 230 and 260 meters. East-facing exposure with a slope ranging from 5% to 15%.

• Age of vines

  • Planting date Surface
  • 1958 13.26a
  • 1975 13.81a
  • 1976 50a
  • 1978 4.67a

The wine

• Description

  100% Pinot Noir from handpicked grapes; raised in oak casks.

• Taste

  Robust and richly coloured with both finesse and elegance on the palate; the wine will age well with characteristic sauvage tones.

• Serving temperature

  15/16°C. It is recommended to decant recent vintages so as to enhance the aroma.

The vintage

• All's well that ends well... more or less. After an unusual winter- the hottest since 1900 for the period December/february- the early budding stage took place mid-april. « Black frost » on the night 26/27th of april damaged many young buds; our Beaune Longbois is particularly hurt. Wet spring conditions were followed by return of sunny contidions mid-june during flower . The maturing process was irregular because of extreme weather conditions. The grape harvest started on 23 September with Pinot noir. The sanitary condition of the grapes was good ; fresh red fruit aromas, well balanced in the mouth, delicate and brisk with good tannin potential.