Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru rouge Clos Saint-Jean AOC 2024

A Pinot Noir that leads with fragrance rather than weight: wild strawberries, raspberries and cherries, followed by undergrowth, a touch of crumble and a hint of rust, smoke and stone. The ruby colour is fairly transparent and deep.

The 1er Cru climat Clos Saint-Jean comprises the actual walled clos of 5.08 hectares, Les Rébiches with 5.45 hectares, Les Murées with 1.61 hectares and the Chassagne du Clos Saint-Jean with 2.02 hectares. The clos was planted in 589, when it belonged to the Saint-Jean le Grand convent in Autun. Most of the vineyard sits on red soil; that is where the vines planted in 2017, from which this wine comes, stand. The Morey family has been established in Chassagne-Montrachet since 1643, and Thomas Morey has run the family estate together with his wife Sylvie since 2007.

Pinot Noir, largely destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in a combination of neutral barrel and tank. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, and the proportion of new oak is around 20%. Sulphur is added only during the final six months in barrel, in several minimal doses, so that the wine never exceeds 35 mg/l in total. 13.5% vol., dry.

Plenty of structure and still a certain firmness, with ripe red fruit and tannins that melt quickly, bringing a light sweetness. Alongside these, spice notes, saddle leather and violet blossoms.

Thomas Morey, a tenth-generation winegrower, farms 13 hectares across seven villages of the Côte de Beaune and converted the estate to organic farming in 2011. On behalf of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, he also tends their vines in Le Montrachet Grand Cru.