Echezeaux Grand Cru

2013
The sky fell down on our heads!
What a little difference a year makes... After an arduous weather in 2012 we hoped for a serene
2013 vintage, but Nature decided otherwise!
Once again, vines, throughout the growing season and until the final maturity of the grapes,
underwent all assaults of nature: long and grey winter, sullen and rainy spring, slow growth
cycle, late flowering (second half of June) with coulure and millerandage and a month of July
marked by violent hailstorms, especially the one on 23rd July in Côte de Beaune that has
caused large crop losses (from 10% to 100 % depending on location). All these weather
conditions gave way to a significant drop in production. Fortunately, warm, dry, sunny August
and soft and slightly damp September allowed the small amount of grapes to mature by the
beginning of October. Nevertheless, we had to remain vigilant and very flexible facing the
botrytis development on Chardonnay. Picking began on 2nd October, confirming 2013 as a
late harvest vintage.
The overall quality of the wines is not affected by these weather disturbances. Red wines are
dense with pronounced black fruit on the palate featuring refreshing spicy notes, ripe and
digestible tannins. White wines are surprisingly aromatic with notes of yellow fruits, candied
citrus and dried fruits, and vibrant and lively finish embracing beautiful structure on the palate.
G R A P E V A R I E T Y & P L O T S I Z E
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir on a 0.36 hectare plot
T E R R O I R
Located in "Champs Traversins", in the heart of the historic Echézeaux vineyard, the vines are
planted in north/south rows at the end bordering on La Combe d'Orveau.
Fairly thin brown soil. Very fine sany/siliceous gravel on the surface.
Perfect microclimate: cool, well-ventilated, and healthy thanks to an air current.
V I N I F I C A T I O N & A G E I N G
The grapes were handpicked into small crates, then sorted and totally destemmed. The wine
stayed on the skins for 20 days in temperature-controlled open oak vats. Pigeage (punching
down the cap) was done twice a day during alcoholic fermentation.
100% malolactic fermentation
The wine was aged entirely in oak barrels.
Duration of barrel ageing: 20 months