Vosne-Romanée Les Hautes Maizières, Bruno Clavelier - 2021

Bruno Clavelier's treasure is his old vines, most of which were replanted after the phylloxera epidemic in the 1930s and 1940s. The oldest are over 80 years old and are the result of massal selections. The yields are naturally limited and the rooting is exceptional. The organic and biodynamic cultivation here implies a strong presence in the vineyards and a lot of prevention and manual interventions. All parcels receive the same care. The ploughing is complemented by finishing with a pickaxe. At the height of the season, the estate allocates one person per hectare. Manual harvesting is followed by sorting on the vine and in the cellar, using a vibrating table. Vinification takes place in open truncated cone-shaped vats, with more or less whole bunches (up to 30%). Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, with some gentle punching of the cap and light pumping over. In total, the cuvaison lasts about three weeks, before a delicate pressing. After settling, the wines are transferred to barrels by gravity. The wine is aged for 16 to 18 months in fine-grained barrels of Tronçais and Allier origin. The percentage of new wood never exceeds 30%, depending on the vintage. No racking is carried out during the ageing process. The wines are neither fined nor filtered. The result is wines that perfectly reflect their terroir of origin, combining both depth of flavour and density of...