JESSIAUME – 2021
3.1.2023BILLN
Tasted in Santenay with William Waterkeyn, 05 October 2022.
There are new owners here – the previous Scottish ownership exchanged for a Parisian who bought the domaine in August 2020.
William on 2022:
We finished the tank emptying last week. For the whites, many have finished their sugar fermentations – the malos are already finished in a few cases for reds – they are quick when you don’t use sulfur!
William on 2021:
“Here it’s half a harvest and we have almost only domaine wines – there are still some contracts for Volnay, Pommard and Meursault – but not for regionals like in other years. Just 3 wines are bottled at this stage – all Bourgognes: Aligoté, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Some places needed quite a lot of triage – even though they were also of quite low volume – but with good triage, you could still happily work without sulfur during vinification. I worried, of course. The colours are light but I’m happy because there’s material, there’s nice textures and the wines bring pleasure.”
The domaine has expanded a little too: “We had some old fermage contracts which have returned to the domaine, so increasing or surface from 9 to 15 hectares – a mix of regionals plus Santenay villages. We started the first year of organic conversion directly when these vines came back to us.”
The wines…
A success in 2021 – despite my tasting coinciding with the (reduced number of) whites showing a little better than the reds.
The two Bourgognes are bottled, all the others wait in barrel or in their tanks. All the whites and the regionals are sealed with DIAM, since 2019. “I’m still asking the question of whether to do all the whites again in DIAM in 2020 but the regionals are already done!” From south to north:
2021 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Bottled at the end of August.
A modest colour. Hmm, that’s almost a redcurrant style of berry fruit. Broad, acid-forward but with just enough cushioning from the fruit, stony finishing – there’s lots of flavour here – I’d be tempted to drink young as the acid might turn out to be more prominent with ageing…
2021 Santenay la Cassière
2ha – just under Malaidières 1er – newly back to the domaine – last exploited by the domaine in 2012.
Slightly more colour. This nose with more width but less obviously easy to find the components. Fuller, silkier, sweeter fruit – more impressive balance here for sure. Good length too. That’s a very good wine.
2021 Santenay, Clos du Clos Genet
‘Definitely a clos within the clos,’ the vines almost in the village.
Another increase in the depth of colour. Broader, clean red fruit with perhaps a little creamy barrel too. Mouth-filling – a little less generous but with an extra dimension to the flavour and a little more structure too. Keep this a couple of years – there is merit here!
2021 Santenay 1er La Comme
Only just 1 barrel this year.
A little less colour again. That’s a super perfume – there are some whole clusters in this perfume. I like the shape and the complexity of fine flavour here – that’s already a lovely wine. Slightly more serious finishing – but complex too – give it a little patience – but I might already start opening these in a year!
2021 Santenay 1er Gravieres
An increase in colour again. A faint reduction but also a floral freshness accents this attractive fruit. In the flavour, I have the impression of some whole clusters but there are none. Broad, great texture, eventually a small frame of tannin but without grain. The broadest and most satisfying finish yet. Keep this 2-3 years but with confidence!
2021 Santenay 1er Gravieres Numerus Clausus
Some vines here about 80-years-old. First a vineyard selection – the old vines – then a barrel selection of the best of those – only 3 barrels this year.
Some extra colour. I sense some oak spice and CO2 here. Yes plenty of CO2. But as the gas fades you have a wine that’s fluid and balanced – even with a faint cushion to the cool fruit. Broad and intense finishing. That, clearly, will be excellent wine!
2021 Auxey-Duresses
In Les Eccuseaux
Pale colour again. Airy and perfumed fruit aromas. Mouth-filling and full of fresh energy – like the Bourgogne this hovers towards an obvious acidity – not quite austere today but another wine that I’d drink young – the flavour is beautifully perfumed, though.
2021 Auxey-Duresses 1er Eccuseaux
Vines next to those above.
Also modest colour but the nose is clearly more profound. A subtle CO2 is visible but also more presence in the mouth – rounder with more cushion to the acidity. The finish is more direct and still with good intensity. Maybe not a wine to keep 10 years but over the next 5 this will be delicious.
2021 Volnay
Maison wine – a mix of some domaine grapes from (villages) Brouillard plus from an almost neighbouring vine in Grand Champs.
Broad, red, slightly cooked fruit but adding an inviting floral perfume in the glass. Mouth-filling and very silky. I love this texture. The shape of this slowly melts over the palate and juicily finishing. That’s very good.
2021 Pommard
A domaine parcel plus a bought one – the domaine in Combottes plus some En Boeuf.
Fuller, deeper, but the latter aroma more driven by a slight reduction – there doesn’t seem much of this in 2021. More melting, ‘easier’ to accommodate flavour and texture on the palate – this is absolutely lovely. Slowly juicy finishing – absolutely excellent – it’s my new favourite!
2021 Volnay 1er Brouillards
All domaine
A nice attack to this red fruit and starting with just a suggestion of floral perfume too. Supple, generous, nicely textured again. Sitting nicely on the palate with just a little extra salinity and juiciness. Delicious wine!
2021 Beaune 1er Cent Vignes
A little less colour again but what perfume – lovely! Mouth-filling still silky but with a little more evident tannin. Keep a little while but here is a balanced and delicious wine. An excellent wine!
Les Whites:
2021 Bourgogne Aligoté
From the recovered domaine parcels – so first vintage here. A parcel in Santenay at the entrance of the village.
A faint DIAM reduction but only for a couple of minutes – then nicely direct pure yellow fruit. Mineral, plenty of acidity maybe a hint extra acidity but the finish is direct and absolutely lovely – chill for the summer – it will be delicious!
2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay
Only domaine parcels including some new ones that have returned to the domaine – one called Perrières – this was all assembled in the first low-volume vintage but in 22 made separate vinification ‘to see what we have!’
Broader and instantly attractive fresh fruit aromas – more citrus here. This sits nicely on the palate – it is incisive but not too much so. Mouth-watering, deliciously flavoured wine – bravo Bourgogne
2021 Meursault
A blend of parcels for this one – but no Perrières this time 😉
Deep, perhaps a little gassy but also a wine that, blind, I may correctly guess to be Meursault with a fine faint spice component. Mobile. Easy over the palate – again of lovely texture. A small burst of juiciness – which has some width too. Contracts or not, that’s an excellent villages Meursault.
2021 Santenay 1er Gravières Blanc
From two parcels, one lower, one higher – both domaine.
Extra volume and dimension of fresh and inviting citrus fruit plus faint minerality. A modest bead of CO2, but delicious, mineral-citrus flavour floods the palate, accented with a little barrel, today.
2021 Auxey-Duresses 1er Eccuseaux Blanc
Here there’s a more obvious floral component to the citrus fruit – mainly yellow citrus. Extra mouth-filling volume. Not the ultimate in focus such is the broad complexity on display here. And don’t be concerned if, blind, you think this tastes like Meursault – because I know the label and it still tastes like Meursault to me – and a very good one too. Excellent wine!
