Please click the thumbnails to view large images.
|
|
|
Winemaker: Marc Cugney
Perhaps it’s the draw of centuries of tradition, perhaps the magnetic pull of fickle Pinot Noir, but Burgundy natives always find their way back to the Côte d’Or. Such was the case for Brigitte Berthelemot, a passionate wine lover who for all her life dreamed of owning an estate, someday, among the vineyards of her childhood.
Fate and luck sometimes do conspire, and Berthelemot was able to fulfill her dream through the acquisition of some of Burgundy’s finest old-vine terroirs. The retirement of two great winemakers, Yves Darviot (of Beaune) and Jean Garaudet (a long-standing NBI partner), allowed the winemaking torch to be passed from one generation to another. Berthelemot purchased their vineyards, and following the construction of a state-of-the-art winery in Meursault, is now continuing their great work.
Marc Cugney, a winemaker with decades of experience in Beaune and New Zealand (and happens to be Jean Garaudet’s nephew) is the estate winemaker; his facility with both reds and whites is outstanding, and with just two vintages it is already evident that quality here is unparalleled. The work in the fields (still guided by Jean Garaudet, who is generous with both his time and energy) is top-notch—the harvest, with multiple passes in the fields and serious triage in the cellar, is all performed by hand. Berthelemot told us that “every year, regardless of the weather, we bring in grapes of the highest quality.” It is evident that this diligent, respectful estate will not only echo the greatness of its predecessors, but take winemaking to a whole new level.
The estate Monthelie Rouge is surrounded by premier cru vineyards; the lieu-dit is “Pierrefite,” which sits next to Volnay 1er “Clos de Chenes.” The estate Pommard “Noizons” sits directly next to premier cru vineyard “Charmots,” in the iron “heart” of Pommard terroir. These older vines, some 75 years or older, deliver Pinot Noir with a touch of licorice (similar to Gevrey.)