As we know, at the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, for some time, evenings have been periodically held where three wines are served paired with three courses of food. The wines paired with the dishes on the various evenings were from Burgundy, white or red, Italians from Tuscany and Piedmont.
on 21.04.22 an evening was to be held with three red Grand Crus from Burgundy and therefore with friends Nicola and Maria Grazia Menditto, Valerio and Francesca Mearini, my wife Sara and myself we went, with keen interest, to the Enoteca Pinchiorri.
On the evening of the event, we were welcomed by Giorgio Pinchiorri and Alessandro Tomberli, general managers, who made us sit in a room dedicated only to us.
I asked Alessandro, who personally assisted us in the wine service, not to serve us a “woody” champagne to begin with, since the one I drank the last time I went to them was, it was Champagne Chartogne-Taillet “Les Conarrés”.
Alessandro served us with the mise en bouche the Champagne Cuvée Louis Salmon from the Maison Billecart – Salmon, a champagne that I liked.
The red wines of the evening would have been among three Burgundy red Grand Crus:
the red Grand Cru of Burgundy the Clos des Lambrays 2018, the Clos de Tart 2018 and La Grande Rue 2018. But let’s get closer to these between Domaine and Domaine Des Lambrays.
Let’s move on to the first wine of the evening.
The first testimony of the Clos de Lambrays takes us to the year 1365, in a deed of ownership of the Abbey of Citeaux. Over the centuries the Clos has fragmented into many different properties, arriving in the mid-1800s to be owned by 70 different owners. Since 2014, almost all of the Clos has been owned by the LVMH group with the exception of about 500 m2 which is owned by the Domaine Tapenot-Merme. Because of this dual property of the Clos, it cannot be defined as a Monopole.
The extension of the Clos is divided into three parts, also by virtue of the different microclimate.
The central part which is also the largest is called “Les Larrits”, the northern part is called “Les Bouchots” and the third which occupies the lower corner is called “Meix Reutier”.
These wines, as you can read in my following notes, are characterized by fruity and spicy aromas (cherry, raspberry, nutmeg and cloves)
Speaking of the land of the Clos, they are identified between parcels by virtue of the altitude and the composition of the land. One parcel reaches an altitude of 330 meters (the highest) among the Grand Crus of Morey. As you go up, the clay is less and the wine has less structure, so much so that often part of these grapes that give a less structured wine, are used for the premier Cru “Les Loups”.
The dish was served with the Clos des Lambrays 2010: “rice, carrots, star anise, capers and bay leaves”, the combination was perfect in my opinion and the fruity and spicy notes of the wine intertwined perfectly with the food.
Let’s move on to the second wine:
Domaine Clos de Tarte.
It is a Monopole, that is, vineyards belonging to a single property. It is the largest Monopole Grand Cru (7.5 hectares) in all of Burgundy.
In nearly nine centuries this Monopole has had only four owners.
From 1141 to 1791 the property belonged to the Abbey of Tart; from 1791 to 1932 the property belonged to the Marey – Mouge family; from 1932 to 2018 it was owned by the Mommessin family and from 2018 to today the Domaine is owned by the Pinault family.
The vines are surrounded by the typical dry stone wall and draw their lifeblood from different terrains which correspond to 12 different sectors.
The vinifications are made separately in each sector. The soil has six different types of limestone which give rise to a fruity and balsamic wine.
The following was served with this wine: “apple and spice cappelletti, fresh ricotta cream and Casentino lamb sausage”.
Even the pairing was perfect, the fruity notes of the wine reconciled well with the spiciness of the dish.
The third wine was:
Domaine La Grande Rue
It is a 1.65 h Monopole domaine owned by the Larmarche family in the early 1900s. In 1933 Henri became the owner of the La Grande Rue vineyard, as a wedding gift from his uncle Edouard.
La Grande Rue was originally a 1 Cru and has become a Grand Cru since 1989. The domaine is now managed by two of Henri’s sons: Franҫois and Geneviève who became owners following their father’s death in 1985.
This Domaine borders to the north with Romanée – Conti and the Romanée Saint Vivant and to the south with the Tache. The boundaries are represented by a very small country road.
The vineyard of this Domaine is characterized by a rich presence of clay and traces of iron oxide.
This wine was paired with: “braised leg of kid, pea and lettuce sauce with peat whiskey sauce”.
The food-wine pairing was perfect because the dish was quite structured as well as the wine and therefore they went well together.
Let’s start with the aperitif that was served to us:
CHAMPAGNE BILLECART SALMON
Cuvée de Blancs, vintage 2007
Golden yellow colour. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
Olfactory mix made of scents of vanilla, ripe rennet apple, peach juice, blond leather, Kaiser pear, ending with memories of the sweet exterior of the sugared almond.
On the palate the bubble is fine and the body is medium. Lemon citrus flavor accompanied by a generous savory, almost salty note. Well balanced wine with freshness and sapidity that completely cover the alcoholic mass.
Its intense gustatory persistence is long. (94/100)
DOMAINE DES LAMBRAYS
CLOS DES LAMBRAYS
GRAND CRU, vintage 2018
Ruby red with purple hints.
The olfactory debut is varied and made up of aromas of old wood, mint, eucalyptus, worked leather, raspberry, cherry, black pepper, intense nutmeg and cloves, star anise, fig leaf, light black olive brine , vanilla, licorice, ending with whispers of India ink.
The palate reveals medium body and some youthful exuberance with tannins that are initially velvety before drying and burning the upper gum a little. The balance of the wine fluctuates a little between alcohol and freshness. Long but not very long is its gustatory persistence. Very young wine!. Maturity will definitely improve it.
My score is also in the future. (93/100)
DOMAINE DU CLOS DE TART
CLOS DE TART
MONOPOLE, GRAND CRU, vintage 2018
Ruby red coat with large purple textures.
Fruity aromas of intense black marasca cherry rise from the glass, followed by crunchy cherry, raspberry and red peach.
The olfactory path continues with notes of mint, eucalyptus, licorice, ending with puffs of star anise.
On the palate the wine has a well-dosed medium body.
Quite balanced wine but, being very young, it will balance more when it stays in the bottle. The tannins are quite central (4/6++), initially they are velvety and then in the finish they let the upper gum dry and burn a little. Alcohol and freshness as mentioned above are slightly fluctuating between them. Its intense aromatic persistence on the palate is long.
My assessment is also in view of the future loss of youthful impetuosity.
(93/100)
DOMAINE LA GRANDE RUE
NICOLE LAMARCHE
MONOPOLE GRAND CRU, vintage 2018
Ruby red color with pink onion-coloured edge.
The olfactory impact is very pleasant and varied. Perceived aromas of vanilla, boiled chestnut with wild fennel, ripe raspberry, ripe red apple, baccara rose and hints of dog rose, mint, eucalyptus and wet plaster.
On the palate it reveals a medium plus body. Wine with good gustatory balance (slight swing) between alcohol and freshness, certainly given its youth, it will be more balanced in the future. The tannins are sweet, wide (6/6–) initially velvety and then feel a little green on the upper gum. Time, in my opinion, will no longer make them feel that way. Its intense aromatic persistence is long. It seems that the wine has been vinified even if minimally with stalks, which is why the slightly green tannins.
At the moment my evaluation is (95/100) with the possibility in the future, with the appeasement of his youthful vehemence, of becoming (97/100)
From my personal experience, I have seen that at least after ten years the green of the tannins of the grape stalks disappears and the wine becomes all pleasantness.
If there is a perfume that is exceptional for me it is the “dog rose” synonymous with delicacy, sensuality and pleasantness.
