Domaine Etiene Grivot 2007

“One of the All-Time Top 10 Burgundy Domaines”.CLIVE COTES

“Etienne Grivot hasbeen on a ‘can’t miss’roll since 1998 and his performances are little short of sensational.” BURGHOUND

 

“Grivot’s compellingly articulate wines are emblematic of the ‘new Burgundy’. It’s almost as if his own serenity can be perceived in the exquisite shapeliness of his Richebourg, the fruited-purity of his Clos Vougeot, or the glowing wealth of his Echezeaux." ANDREW JEFFORD

 

Without doubt one of the undisputed stars of Burgundy, Etienne Grivot has quietly gone about his business over the past couple of decades, slowly but steadily nuancing his wines gently and gradually so that today, he is universally admired as in the very top echelon of Burgundian producers.

 

The Grivot wines from 2007 are a ‘blinding light’, showing the style change that Etienne Grivot has accomplished since the late 1990s. In his own words, “Previously the style was introverted and closed, now my wines show more purity and freshness, but they also age. My obsession is harmony and purity”

 

Of course, there are innumerable aspects of the entire viticultural and winemaking process that can be subtly altered and improved in the pursuit of perfection. Etienne has, amongst other things, done the following in the past dozen years:

 

- reduced yields, on average, 20% since 1996;

- returned to a very ‘natural’ approach in the vineyards, using organic treatments only, grass-cover, horse and plough (currently around 30% of the whole estate and increasing, including Richebourg, Echezeaux and the premiers crus), harder pruning, more rigorous canopy management and a far more rigorous crop-thinning and bunch selection process;

- decided to declassify more – for example, the upper portion of ‘Les Rouge’ premier cru is de-classified to Bourgogne, and the upper part of Echezeaux is declassified to ‘Les Rouge’ premier cru;

- installed and enthusiastically embraced a sorting table (used by women only, as he feels they possess greater attention-to-detail) discarding any under-ripe, over-ripe or diseased berries;

- changed the fermentation regime to extract the tannins, colour and flavour without rough or aggressive action;

- instigated a procedure whereby separate vintages are stored in separate parts of the cavernous cellar so temperature increases due to the new wines being encouraged to undergo malo-lactic fermentation are not affecting the previous vintage’s wines;

- chosen to rack or move the wines less often so they can mature without agitation. “You must have the courage to do nothing” (referring to elevage). Sometimes it’s tempting to tell your cellarhands to go and rack because there is nothing else to do. Better to send them home!”

- purchased new tanks of various sizes (with variable-capacity lids) so that each and every separate batch (18 different wines) can be assembled in totality, and ‘rested’ in tank for 3 months before being bottled by gravity, without filtration; and

- been happy to rest the wines in bottle for 6 months before shipping.

 

These positive and admirable improvements all contribute to the crafting of these beautiful wines that represent benchmarks in fine Pinot Noir.

 

The 2007 Vintage at Grivot:

As Etienne said, each vintage is new experience and the approach changes each year, based on the climate, condition of the leaves, ripeness of the berries, acidity, health, as well as his previous experiences. It is these experiences, based on his calculated successes, mistakes, reflection and constant evaluation of past vintages, as well as drawing upon a wealth of family knowledge (Etienne’s father, Jean Grivot is still alive and active, and his wife Marielle is Patrick Bize’s sister, having grown up at Domine Simon Bize in Savigny-les-Beaune) that allow Grivot to succeed in virtually any conditions each season presents.

In 2007 despite many commencing harvest on the 28th August, Etienne decided to wait a little longer as the acidity was still very good and an additional week’s ripening would increase the sugar and flavour. It was worth the risk and he started picking on the 5th September. He has not set formula for picking times, he is sometimes amongst the first to start but in other vintages can be the last.

 

When I tasted these wines earlier in the year, as they rested in the assemblage tanks just before bottling, I was really amazed how they had changed in 12 months. The highly aromatic and extravert style of the vintage was heightened by Etienne’s influence at the triage (sorting) table where his sorters discarded around 5-15% depending on the vineyard. There was no mould, so the rejected fruit was mostly berries or bunches that had failed to ripen to the optimum level. Consequently the flavours and aromas are ripe, indeed riper than 2001 for example, even though the wines are not firm blockbusters. “They will give a lot of pleasure now, but they will also live for 10-15+ years” says Etienne.

 

The Offer:

This is a pre-arrival offer with 50% payment due with your order and the balance due upon delivery of the wines in February 2010. The pre-arrival prices are discounted 10% from their retail price, and include all taxes.

 

The Wines:

ETIENNE GRIVOT Vosne-Romanée Offer Price $109

More perfumed than the Bourgogne (as would be expected), ‘sweeter’ with a hint of liquorice and spice.  It’s very classical for the appellation with impressive balance between the usual Burgundy acidity, seductive fruit, undergrowth and sappy characteristics, plus the tell-tale ‘Grivot rose petal and Asian spice’ nuances.  The tannins are not aggressive, but they are firm and mouth-cleansing, perfect to help the wine age a little or perfect with food. Grivots are never wimpy wines!

 

“A subtle touch of wood frames pretty and seductive aromas of ripe dark berry fruit, soy, hoisin and a hint of anise, all of which can be found on the round and slightly austere flavours that finish in a pure, linear and minerally finish. This is almost Cistercian in personality at present and will require a few years in bottle to flesh out but it should be capable of that because there is good mid-palate concentration. A quality villages. 87-89 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Vosne-Romanée 1er cru ‘Les Chaumes’ 
Offer Price $169

This is always a favourite with many customers and is a particularly well-sited vineyard, lying just below premier cru Malconsorts and the magnificent La Tâche.  The vines are older than the 40yo Grivot average and they are particularly low yielding.

 

“This is distinctly different from the Les Rouges with a notably riper nose that mixes earthy red and black fruit and subtle spice notes, in particular anise and clove, both of which are picked up by the rich, ripe and generous flavours that are persistent but less sophisticated and the tannins are not quite as refined either. Still, there is very good length and ample amounts of Vosne character that make for a very attractive if not compelling effort. 89-91 points.” Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Vosne-Romanée 1er cru ‘Les Brulées’
Offer Price $225

 

The nose seemed a little closed at this time, however, the nose there is more ripe in character with a slightly fuller palate that has quite explosive flavours. The ‘Brulées’ site is known for its ripeness [Brulées is derived from cooked or baked] with a south-east orientation at the top of Les Suchots and just to the north of Richebourg.  There is a wonderful ‘peacock’s tail’ with a long and expansive flourish driven by fresh acid and complex, ripe exotic flavours from this, the warmest of the Grivot sites.

 

“A classic, and notably ripe, Vosne nose with an exceptionally spicy nose that reflects notes of hoisin, soy, anise, cinnamon and violets on the red, blue and black berry fruit aromas that slide into seductive, fresh, intense and palate drenching flavours that are impressively complex and seriously long on the balanced and mouth coating finish. This should age for a long time though reach its apogee in 7 or 8 years. Outstanding! 90-92 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Vosne-Romanée 1er cru ‘Suchots’
SOLD OUT
[Limited – one bottle per person as part of balanced orders only].

 

The Grivot site within Suchots is adjacent to Romanée St. Vivant only separated by a small track. Etienne believes it shares similar traits with this grand cru as it is fragrant with ‘floral spicy softness’. It’s a shame there is only .22ha, but this is the first time we have imported this wine, albeit in very small volume. It is exceptionally perfumed with the tell-tale Grivot stamp of rose petal and Asian spice.  It is deep and concentrated with mouth-coating silky textured extract and great length. 

 

“Of the five other Vosne 1ers in the range, the Suchots most closely resembles the Brûlées in personality with a highly seductive and extremely spicy nose of freshly crushed red and blue berry fruit aromas that carry a background element of perfumed floral notes where the spiciness carries over onto the rich, full, generous and relatively powerful medium plus weight flavours blessed with ample amounts of dry extract that buffer the firm tannins on the long and velvety finish. A stunner of a Suchots. 90-93 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Nuits St.-Georges 1er cru ‘Prulieres’
Offer Price $218

2007 seems to have been particularly successful in Nuits St. Georges. As I review my notes from barrel and tank tastings, I notice I was very impressed by these premiers crus (and also the Nuits from other producers).  Etienne says “this is one of my favourite cuvees in 2007.  It’s a classical style of Nuits; concentrated and closed; to age.  It has elegance, without changing the core character – it’s a little more suave; more my style.”

 

It has beautiful blueberry, cherry brandy ripe fruit aromatics with a fleshy, deep palate, liqueurous fruit and gentle spice notes.  The ample concentration and sophisticated mouth-coating tannins combine to give lovely length and great potential too.  This is really great Nuits!

 

“Here the nose is relatively tight and if not inexpressive then reluctant but with aggressive swirling a mélange of red and blue pinot fruit, subtle spice hints and plenty of earth related aromas can be coaxed from the glass. The precise, detailed and impressive intense medium plus weight flavors culminate in a linear, persistent and mineral suffused finish that etches itself onto the palate. This is quite closed at present and will need a few years in bottle first to fully blossom. 89-91 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Nuits St.-Georges 1er cru ‘Boudots’
Offer Price $225

Regular buyers of this cuvee will know that it is rather Vosne-like (being on the border between Nuits and Vosne, not far from La Tache and adjacent to Malconsorts) and Etienne says that, “It combines the succulence of a Vosne-Romanée with the richness of a Nuits.”  It also has 70 year-old vines.

 

The 2007 is a beautiful wine, is ripe with spice, rose and earthy notes. It is utterly mouth-watering from the first sniff of the ethereal bouquet, following on to the palate, with flesh, elegant firm tannins and sweet fruit flavours, and right through to the aftertaste that is very long and memorable.

 

“[Tasted before the reductive [sulphide] characters were dealt with] In relatively stark contrast to the other Nuits-based wines, this is closed and completely inexpressive at present. This is partially due to a bit of reduction but it took some aggressive swirling to obtain discreet aromas of blue fruit, violets and earth aromas though the spicy and broad-shouldered flavours are rich, full, naturally sweet and clearly powerful as there is ample mid-palate concentration and real drive on the fresh, intense and mineral suffused linear and palate staining finish. Impressive if very backward. Outstanding! 90-92 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Clos Vougeot Offer Price $269

This is a very different style to the Clos Vougeots of the 90s and even of the early 2000s as Etienne now (since 2003) picks later – he has the courage to wait!  He has also started to sell off between three and five barrels from the lower part to negociants thereby increasing the overall quality even further.

 

These vines were planted in the very early 1900s and a strict, slow, replanting regime has ensured continued old vine age.  This is a very powerful and solidly built wine with concentrated rich fruit and impressive breadth and length.

 

“A very subtle touch of oak influence sets off a pungently earthy mix of brooding red and dark berry fruit aromas trimmed in subtle spice and game notes precedes the impressively scaled and robust full-bodied flavours that are sleekly muscled and possess plenty of pop on the intense, complex, balanced and long finish. This is a powerful yet focused effort that retains a fine sense of underlying balance and this should benefit from up to a decade in the cellar first. 91-93 points.” Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Echézeaux Offer Price $345

In the last few years Etienne has taken back control of 10 more rows of Echézeaux giving another four-to-five barrels.  This is usually one of his more ‘feminine’ styles, being a little softer, more fragrant and supple than, say, the Clos Vougeot.  It also is one that he believes can be drunk a little earlier then his other premiers and grands crus.  The 2007 is a perfumed seductive wine, with ripe fruits, floral hints and earthy/underbrush nuances giving great complexity.  It’s a precision balanced and very elegant wine that also has incredible length.

 

“Here the nose is a bit more expressive with a discreet application of wood spice highlighting the earth and underbrush-suffused ripe dark berry aromas that precede the rich, intense and big-bodied flavours that culminate in a linear and velvety yet youthfully austere finish that goes on and on. This is a relatively expansive Echézeaux yet it remains focused and tight and this too should benefit from at least a decade of cellar time. Don’t miss! 92-94 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).

 

ETIENNE GRIVOT Richebourg Offer Price $990

This is a step up in perfume and elegance but also has a little more weight and plushness.  The fan of flavour spreads and keeps going on and on.  It’s a majestic wine as one would expect.  The Grivot plot is situated just above the DRC plot and is centred from north-to-south, just below Petite Monts and Cros Parentoux on the higher part of Richebourg.

 

“This also offers up a notably restrained nose that is even more reserved than that of the Clos de Vougeot but classier with a wonderfully intense and layered nose that offers up a variety of spice notes, including anise, clove, cinnamon and soy that can also be found on the pure and sleekly muscled flavours that possess real drive, indeed this does a slow but sure build from the mid-palate on through the explosive finish. This is a wine of harmony, balance, power and outstanding length though it is sufficiently tight to undoubtedly require 12 to 15 years of time in bottle first. Very promising. Don’t miss! 92-94 points.”  Allen Meadows, Burghound (Jan 2009).