Domaine Chevrot 2006 Tasting Notes

Maranges rouge Sur le Chêne 2003
Hautes Côtes de Beaune rouge 2003

This year’s wines are from the heatwave year of 2003, the hottest vintage in living memory.  Hail and frost in spring reduced yields, and this was compounded by the extraordinary heat and drought of the summer, resulting in a vintage of power and concentration.  This is a remarkable vintage, great for drinking now!

Both this year’s wines, the Hautes Côtes de Beaune and the Maranges, have a richness not normally associated with burgundy.  They won plaudits from judges at the International Wine Challenge, each picking up a Bronze Medal.  They are full-bodied, with powerful black cherry and blackberry flavours. The acidity is lower than normal, and the wines have a backbone of velvety-smooth tannins.  The Maranges has had 18 months in oak, imparting a slight spiciness, while the Hautes Côtes has been in barrel for nine months, making it soft, supple and mellow.

2003 proved a difficult year for many winemakers.  The danger was in leaving grapes on the vine too long and gaining extra ripeness at the expense of acidity.  It proved a very difficult tightrope to negotiate, yet Fernand and Pablo walked it with distinction, and picked their grapes with a high degree of ripeness, while retaining the acidity to give balance.

Both wines are delightful now and should develop well over the next three or four years - their powerful nature makes them perfect for robust dishes such as game and casseroles.