Albert Bichot Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru ‘les Chabiots’ 2014

Description Story Since 1831, The Bichot family has been at the forefront of Burgundy wines. Over the course of 6 generations, the house style has become more and more refined and distinct in elegance.With Albéric Bichot at the helm since 1996, the house has focused its future on quality, minimal intervention winemaking and organic farming. The embodiment of this approach resulted in their 6 domaines being fully organically certified since 2018, while receiving praise and awards on the quality of the wines.Located between Vougeot and Morey-Saint-Denis, at the heart of the Côte de Nuits, the name of the small commune of Chambolle-Musigny is derived from the name of the ancient Celtic village, “Cambola”. Les Chabiots Premier Cru lies next to the “Les Amoureuses“ vineyard, in the southern part of the Premier Cru area. The soil’s shallow depth and the proximity of the limestone bedrock allow this exquisite wine’s notable characteristics of elegance and silkiness to develop.“Chabiots” may refer to the word “caboche” from the Vulgar Latin word CAPUM (head) due to the fact that rocks and stony blocks the size of a head and weighing between 50 and 200 kg were found at a depth of 40-60 cm when the soil here was ploughed for the planting of vines. Specifications Soil – Calcareous clayGrape Variety – 100% Pinot NoirVatting – Temperature-controlled conical oak vats. Vatting time: 20 to 28 daysAgeing – In oak barrels 100%. Ageing time: 14 to 16 months. Proportion of new barrels: 40% Tasting Notes The nose features intense aromas of wild fruit of the woods (blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry). Both floral and fruity, this wine offers remarkable balance and a long, refreshing finish with hints of tobacco and menthol.Food pairing – Perfect with finely-cooked red meats and delicate cheeses.Serve at 17°C (62°F) – This wine can be drunk now or laid down during 5 to 7 years or more in a cellar. Critic Ratings Wine Enthusiast – 93 pointsWhile this wine has generous swathes of ripe fruit, it also has plenty of the dark tannins that are found in the northern part of the appellation. It is dense in character, packed equally with concentrated tannins and with red-berry fruits. The wine will age well; drink from 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate – 91 pointsTasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Bichot’s 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Chabiots has a meaty, red cherry and sage-scented bouquet that does not quite transmit the purity of either Groffier’s Les Haut Doix or Taupenot-Merme’s Combe d’Orveau. Yet it seems to gain that with aeration and, in the end, offers great transparency. The palate is medium-bodied, fleshy on the entry with plenty of pure red berry fruit, quite oaky at the moment, but that will be subsumed with time. Very fine. Tasted September 2017.