Au Pied du Mont Chauve : Saint-Aubin 1er cru "Le Charmois" 2017

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Saint-Aubin Premier Cru "Le Charmois" 2017 from Au Pied du Mont Chauve

Tasting

Appearance
The color reveals a brilliant ruby-red hue.

Nose
The nose reveals an expressive bouquet of red fruit with aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry and cherry. Spicy notes round out this aromatic palette.

Palate
On the palate, this red wine charms with its balance and freshness. Its delicate tannic structure supports the fruity expression through to a lingering finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Saint-Aubin red pairs perfectly with roasted white meats, poultry in a light sauce, as well as soft cheeses. It also complements mushroom-based dishes with elegance.

Serving

It is recommended to serve the Saint-Aubin Premier Cru "Le Charmois" 2017 at a temperature between 14 and 16°C.

An elegant, mineral Pinot Noir from Saint-Aubin in Burgundy

The estate

Daughter of one of Burgundy’s greatest winegrowing families, Francine Picard took over in the late 1990s the estate historically run by her father. The Domaine Au Pied du Mont Chauve spans the communes of Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin, at the heart of some of the finest climats and terroirs of winegrowing Burgundy.

With a view to creating synergy between the land and the wines, Francine Picard farms her parcels in keeping with the principles of biodynamics and applies herself with passion and extreme attention to producing wines that reflect the identity of their terroir.

From a vineyard covering 110 hectares cultivated using “agroecology”, the chardonnay and pinot noir from Domaine Au Pied du Mont Chauve are renowned for their quality, precision and elegance.

Since May 2019, Antoine Lepetit de la Bigne, a specialist in biodynamic viticulture, has joined the team at this illustrious Burgundian estate as Technical Director. 

The vineyard

The Saint-Aubin Premier Cru "Le Charmois" comes from a 5.37-hectare parcel located on the heights of Saint-Aubin, at an altitude between 250 and 350 meters. The vineyard enjoys a south-eastern exposure and rests on white clay-limestone soils particularly rich in limestone. This high-altitude setting gives the wine remarkable freshness and a crystalline minerality. The Pinot Noir vines are managed according to biodynamic principles, with the application of natural preparations and cover crops between the rows. Single Guyot pruning promotes excellent grape exposure and optimal ripening.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Burgundy proved exceptional for red wines as well as whites. After an early start to spring followed by an April frost episode that spared Saint-Aubin’s high-altitude parcels, the season unfolded under ideal conditions. May and June offered favorable weather for even flowering. The warm, sunny month of August enabled perfect ripening of the grapes. The harvest took place in early September under optimal conditions, allowing grapes to be picked with an excellent balance between phenolic ripeness and bright acidity.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Saint-Aubin Premier Cru "Le Charmois" 2017 are hand-harvested into small crates to preserve their integrity. After meticulous sorting, the bunches are vinified parcel by parcel with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled vats. Maceration lasts between 22 and 25 days with manual punch-downs. After the first racking, the wine is aged in oak barrels for ten months, then continues its maturation in large oak casks or vats for an additional eight months. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally. The estate’s approach favors minimal intervention, with little bâtonnage and reduced sulfur additions.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir.