2016 Domaine Thenard 'Ille des Verglesses' 1er Cru | Pernard-Vergelesses
The current family custodian, my friend Jean-Baptiste, is a gruff, robust country squire – perhaps something like myself! The cellars are reputed to be the deepest in Burgundy, and I’ve asked. They were built in the 1500s and 1600s. The mountains of bottles in nooks and crannies, & locked away behind ancient wrought iron gates with huge padlocks gives it the ambience that every movie murder mystery involving Burgundy would be wise to aim for.
With his slightly old-fashioned ways, Jean-Baptiste does not chase money – and with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of vineyards he doesn’t need to – and thus his Premier and Grand Cru wines are the most reasonably priced in all of Burgundy.
From my annual or twice-annual visits to Domaine Thenard, we are building a library of notes on their occasionally tasted much older Premier Cru Givry releases. In July 2019 we tried the Givry Premier Crus back to 1976 (astonishing! Yes! 18.4 points) after having tried the 1978s on my prior visit. These are very reasonably priced lesser known Givry appellation Premier Cru Burgundies. This clearly illustrates that these very reasonably priced Burgundies can age and improve for decades with ease. Please also note that the winemaking techniques and fruit quality selected today are far superior to the wines of the 70s and 80s.
JJ (John Jens)
Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux-Montrieux has been running the Domaine from the 1980's and the wines have always been made in a very traditional method: fermented in wood tonneau barrels for two weeks, punched-down by foot twice a day, then aged in barrel for twelve to eighteen months (five percent new oak on the premier crus), and only very lightly filtered if necessary. The whites are fermented and aged in barrel. Fermentations start spontaneously and continue at their own pace, sometimes for months. The amount of new oak has been dialled back on the Montrachet and averages fifty percent from the 2010 vintage. On the reds, the Clos du Cellier aux Moines is aged mostly in foudres, and the Clos Saint-Pierre is aged mostly in used barrels. The Boix Chevaux is a fifty-fifty mix of foudres and barrels.
Bowlerwine.com
Overview
A wine that captivates with its rounding ruby hue and subtle garnet edges. A beautifully balanced and nuanced palate, where the harmonious interplay of flavours unfold. Notes of dark cherry, and lush blackberry, make way for the subtle and complex notes of the terroir.
The current family custodian, my friend Jean-Baptiste, is a gruff, robust country squire – perhaps something like myself! The cellars are reputed to be the deepest in Burgundy, and I’ve asked. They were built in the 1500s and 1600s. The mountains of bottles in nooks and crannies, & locked away behind ancient wrought iron gates with huge padlocks gives it the ambience that every movie murder mystery involving Burgundy would be wise to aim for.
With his slightly old-fashioned ways, Jean-Baptiste does not chase money – and with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of vineyards he doesn’t need to – and thus his Premier and Grand Cru wines are the most reasonably priced in all of Burgundy.
From my annual or twice-annual visits to Domaine Thenard, we are building a library of notes on their occasionally tasted much older Premier Cru Givry releases. In July 2019 we tried the Givry Premier Crus back to 1976 (astonishing! Yes! 18.4 points) after having tried the 1978s on my prior visit. These are very reasonably priced lesser known Givry appellation Premier Cru Burgundies. This clearly illustrates that these very reasonably priced Burgundies can age and improve for decades with ease. Please also note that the winemaking techniques and fruit quality selected today are far superior to the wines of the 70s and 80s.
JJ (John Jens)
Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux-Montrieux has been running the Domaine from the 1980's and the wines have always been made in a very traditional method: fermented in wood tonneau barrels for two weeks, punched-down by foot twice a day, then aged in barrel for twelve to eighteen months (five percent new oak on the premier crus), and only very lightly filtered if necessary. The whites are fermented and aged in barrel. Fermentations start spontaneously and continue at their own pace, sometimes for months. The amount of new oak has been dialled back on the Montrachet and averages fifty percent from the 2010 vintage. On the reds, the Clos du Cellier aux Moines is aged mostly in foudres, and the Clos Saint-Pierre is aged mostly in used barrels. The Boix Chevaux is a fifty-fifty mix of foudres and barrels.
Bowlerwine.com
Overview
A wine that captivates with its rounding ruby hue and subtle garnet edges. A beautifully balanced and nuanced palate, where the harmonious interplay of flavours unfold. Notes of dark cherry, and lush blackberry, make way for the subtle and complex notes of the terroir.
The current family custodian, my friend Jean-Baptiste, is a gruff, robust country squire – perhaps something like myself! The cellars are reputed to be the deepest in Burgundy, and I’ve asked. They were built in the 1500s and 1600s. The mountains of bottles in nooks and crannies, & locked away behind ancient wrought iron gates with huge padlocks gives it the ambience that every movie murder mystery involving Burgundy would be wise to aim for.
With his slightly old-fashioned ways, Jean-Baptiste does not chase money – and with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of vineyards he doesn’t need to – and thus his Premier and Grand Cru wines are the most reasonably priced in all of Burgundy.
From my annual or twice-annual visits to Domaine Thenard, we are building a library of notes on their occasionally tasted much older Premier Cru Givry releases. In July 2019 we tried the Givry Premier Crus back to 1976 (astonishing! Yes! 18.4 points) after having tried the 1978s on my prior visit. These are very reasonably priced lesser known Givry appellation Premier Cru Burgundies. This clearly illustrates that these very reasonably priced Burgundies can age and improve for decades with ease. Please also note that the winemaking techniques and fruit quality selected today are far superior to the wines of the 70s and 80s.
JJ (John Jens)
Jean-Baptiste Bordeaux-Montrieux has been running the Domaine from the 1980's and the wines have always been made in a very traditional method: fermented in wood tonneau barrels for two weeks, punched-down by foot twice a day, then aged in barrel for twelve to eighteen months (five percent new oak on the premier crus), and only very lightly filtered if necessary. The whites are fermented and aged in barrel. Fermentations start spontaneously and continue at their own pace, sometimes for months. The amount of new oak has been dialled back on the Montrachet and averages fifty percent from the 2010 vintage. On the reds, the Clos du Cellier aux Moines is aged mostly in foudres, and the Clos Saint-Pierre is aged mostly in used barrels. The Boix Chevaux is a fifty-fifty mix of foudres and barrels.
Bowlerwine.com
Overview
A wine that captivates with its rounding ruby hue and subtle garnet edges. A beautifully balanced and nuanced palate, where the harmonious interplay of flavours unfold. Notes of dark cherry, and lush blackberry, make way for the subtle and complex notes of the terroir.
DETAILS
VINTAGE - 2016
VARIETAL - Pinot Noir
COUNTRY - France
REGION - Pernard-Vergelesses, Burgundy
BOTTLE SIZE - 750ml
