AUXEY-DURESSES > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

AUXEY-DURESSES 2016

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2022

Varietal

100% Pinot Noir.

Tasting notes

Colour: brilliant ruby red.

Nose: typical Pinot finesse, with aromas of red berries and hints of liquorice.

Palate: lacy on the palate, with elegant tannins, great finesse and perfect balance.

Food and wine pairing

Serve with pan-fried veal sweetbreads, grilled white meats, fried chicken, pork tenderloin, veal stew, or rack of lamb, poultry, chicken salad and a tasty pieces of tender and creamy cheese.

Serving suggestions

Serve ideally at a temperature of about 14-15°C (around 59°F).

Ageing potential

Drink from now and can be kept in the cellar for 4 to 7 years.

Origins

The village of Auxey-Duresses lies on the threshold of a valley that runs from the Côte de Beaune into the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune on the way to La Rochepot, with its emblematic glazed-tile castle, and the Morvan region.

Nestling back from the two flagship communes of Volnay and Meursault, the vineyard covers just 170 hectares, 130 of which are given over to red wines.

Around 500,000 bottles are produced each year from this little-known Côte de Beaune appellation, whose specific terroirs offer some of the best value for money in Burgundy!

The vineyards are planted on very stony, marl-limestone soils, facing east and south-east on steep slopes at an average altitude of 250 metres.

Vinification and maturing

The grapes were completely destemmed but not crushed, and gravity-fed into the vats. Maceration lasted a total of 24 days, including one week at a cool temperature (12°C/53°F). Fermentation took place using only indigenous yeasts. The cap was punched down infrequently. Aged on the lees for 16 months without racking, using 40% new oak barrels.

Vintage : 2016

Our dearest Burgundy region could be the embodiment of that famous motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur...because for several years now it’s been suffering the whims of the weather and has always been capable of producing great wines out of it. Once again, the vintage 2016 will be a tangible proof!

Everything started from a very mild winter...maybe too mild to be honest. Actually, we should have been more wary of that sign for it was the warmest winter the region was going through since 1900. Sometimes the gap in the temperatures compared to the seasonal norms exceeded a 100%. In addition, the rain fell in excess particularly in Côte d’Or and as a consequence the lack of sun was really important.

Winter really came 3 months late, in March, but didn’t settle as the bursting of the first buds appeared at the beginning of April. So, as spring really settled, it also brought its share of climatic disasters: first, it was a hail storm that hit the South of the Mâconnais region; then, the most tragic freezing night in April, 26^th stroke almost all the region from the Grand Auxerrois to Côte Chalonnaise; and finally, 2 more hail storms on the 13^th and 27^th May lashed over Chablis, leaving the region with almost no hope of harvest.

This year, until summer, we went through very difficult times and had to hope for the vines to find the strength to grow again. Somehow our wish was granted, and the vegetative cycle started again, with great gaps from one plot to another. Due to all the climatic events, the flowering came late (mid-June) but didn’t last long thanks to hot temperatures.

From the month of July, the extremes reversed: the temperatures as well as the amount of sunshine exceeded the seasonal norms. Fortunately for the grape, it lasted until the end of October, allowing for a good maturity.

Harvest began on September, 20^th and spread over a month thanks to the great weather conditions, leaving us the opportunity to harvest each plot at its best.

Finally, the grapes we harvested were of great quality and although the plots hit by hail or frost gave almost nothing, the other had good yields.

During the vinifications, the vintage quickly revealed its high quality offering well-balanced wines, with a good structure and a lot of freshness as well as finesse.