BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE

BOURGOGNE
HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE 2020

click on one of the vintages below for further information

2020 2021 2022

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.

Tasting notes

Colour : Gold with green tints.

Nose : Fresh, pure perfumes of white fruits such as pear or peach and white flowers (linden).

Palate : A pleasant and lively wine with a floral attack on white fruits and almonds flavours with delicate woody notes.

Wine and food pairing

It will be the perfect companion to snails, fish dishes or stir-fries. When a little older, its increased roundness and density will bring out the best from richer dishes such as fish in sauce or crustaceans and cheeses such as the French Bleu de Bresse, goat cheeses, and cheeses of the Gruyère family.

Serving temperature

Serve ideally at a temperature situated between 13 and 14°C. (55°-57F.).

Ageing potential

Already pleasant to drink, it can be kept in the cellar for 3 to 5 years.

Origin

Regional appellation of the Hautes Côtes vineyard district (dept. of Côte-d’Or) in Burgundy. The appellation, officially granted in 1961, comprises of 12 communes of the Hautes Côtes district plus the upper portions of 10 communes lying in the Côte de Beaune. In the Saône-et-Loire dept., it spreads over four communes of the Hautes Côtes as well as on the heights of three communes of the Côte de Beaune.

The Hautes Côtes overlooks the Côte de Beaune from the west, lying between Maranges and Ladoix-Serrigny. The interior is a succession of hills and valleys. The vines cover the sunny slopes at the foot of a limestone cliff. The villages clinging to the hillsides are composed of white stone buildings lining narrow streets.

At between 280 and 450 metres above sea-level, the vineyards occupy the best- exposed sides of valleys which run east-west at right angles to the axis of the Côte. The subsoil is dominated, especially in the south, by beds of marl. The slopes are steep in some places and frequently covered with limestone scree brought down from overhanging Bajocian formations higher up.

Vinification and maturing

The harvested Chardonnay grapes are carefuly sorted and then pressed. The vinification starts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and is followed by maturing in tank and in oak barrels for a part of the cuvée (40%) for around 8 months, including 15% new oak. Blending and light filtration before bottling.

Vintage : 2020

"Never in my entire wine career have I seen such variations in the grapes than in the 2020 harvests" said Anne-Laure Hernette our winmaker.

It was an early vintage, with another very mild winter and therefore an early start to the growth cycle. A rainy, cool May did not slow the vines down, and temperatures quickly rose again. The summer was one of the hottest we have experienced. The vines reacted in very different ways depending on the sector and it was necessary to monitor the grapes’ phenolic maturity right up to the harvests, since in some cases the berries suffered significant water stress, resulting in delays in ripening and lower yields.

On the whole, the vines in Rully, Mercurey and Maranges held up well because several of our terroirs benefit from subterranean water sources which partially alleviated the stress. But the fact remains that the expression of aromatic, phenolic and technological maturity was very different from previous years and the evolution of each parameter had to be closely monitored. Once again, the choice of harvest date was decisive in ensuring the quality of the future wines. Especially since there were sometimes significant differences in ripeness within the same plot.

Harvesting began on 24 August and ended on 16 September. Some sectors required patience: it was important not to harvest too quickly. The grapes were in an excellent state of health, but thorough sorting was necessary to separate berries that were still pink and yet side by side with ripe grapes.

Ultimately, yields were particularly reduced for the reds. The character of the 2020 vintage will gradually be revealed as it undergoes barrel-ageing, but we can already appreciate it for its balance, promising colours, concentration and generous aromatic expression.

BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTES DE BEAUNE 2020