2020 Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, 1er Cru, Domaine Denis Mortet, Burgundy

50% new wood and 50% whole bunch.

Very old vines are always done by hand or horse. Arnaud sees the difference in the soil, which is much lighter and finer. Rich, deep purple, with a beautiful elegance to the bouquet, ripe fruit with a floral top note, ripe but strikingly balanced, very long and fine with good acidity. It shows a touch more oak, but this will calm down. What purity, finesse and length.

Drink 2033+

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru has a superior bouquet: wonderful delineation, control and mineralité, sophisticated and charming. The palate is medium-bodied with finely spun tannins, a taut line of acidity this feels like the pH is lower than its peers) that imparts tension throughout. Sapid with raspberry, strawberry, black pepper and sous-bois on the finish, this is an excellent Premier Cru from Mortet.

Drink 2026 - 2048

From 4 separate parcels that total .41 ha.

A slightly riper, though still agreeably fresh, nose blends notes of poached plum, cassis, earth, and a top note of dried lavender. The rich, dense, and powerful larger-scaled flavours also enjoy excellent concentration thanks to the palate-coating dry extract that buffers the firm tannic spine, shaping the impressively long finale. This is one of those wines that should reward 12 to 15 years of cellaring yet is not so tightly wound that it couldn’t be approached after 5 to 7 or so years.

Drink 2032+

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux is more brooding and introverted, unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of dark berries, raspberries, warm spices and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, layered and muscular, it’s concentrated and tightly wound. This is a terrific effort, but it will require patience.