Domaine des Grands
Vins de France (DGVF)
Domaine des Grands Vins de France embodies the classic
elegance of earthy, traditional Burgundy wines. Far from the fleshier, fruit
driven, plump wines some winemakers tend to produce to please both critics and
markets. The resulting wines are often higher in acidity, fair in alcohol
content, lighter and more elegant, true to their terroir of origin and fully
expressing the earthiness and complexity of the soil.
These wines are made in the vineyards rather than in the
cellar, where varietal characteristics combined with ideal phenolic ripeness,
various soil composition and orientation of the vineyards can be retrieved in
the aromas, flavors, texture and overall structure of the crafted wines.
Moreover, like the wines from Rioja in Spain, rather than
deploying them in the market for immediate availability right after bottling,
the wines are kept longer in oak and in bottle to obtain respectively more
complexity and better integration of the wines components and suppleness in
order to enhance the customer’s experience.
Producer-Negociant based in Nuits-Saints-Georges, DGVF
produces a wide range of wines from all the hierarchic steps of the Burgundian
classification ladder, from generic Bourgogne Chardonnay and Pinot noir to
village wines, Grands and Premiers Crus located in both the Cotes de Nuits and
Cote de Beaune.
As Negociant-Wine Merchant, they also source grapes (juices
and wines) and produce wines from other regions like: Alsace, the birthplace of
DGVF co-founder and winemaker Jean-Yves Lehner; but also Loire, Rhone,
Languedoc and Bordeaux. All of their wines are sold under the name of Domaine
des Grands Vins de France and mainly produced and bottled in their facility in
Nuits-Saints-Georges.
Here are 4 more wines from Domaine des Grands Vins de France that I tasted recently and that are sold through "Signature French Wines" in Hong Kong.
2006 Bourgogne
Chardonnay Grande Cuvée
Coming from the Cote de Beaune, the southern part of the
Cote d’Or, and harvested from vineyards located near Meursault, this Bourgogne
Chardonnay Grande Cuvée, which spent a bit of time partially in oak (about 3–6
months max), is racy, fresh and zesty. It may not have the complexity and the
length of its siblings from the village AOC and Crus, but for a wine with a bit
of age it still has a brightness that some Chablis may lack sometimes and will
even envy in their youth. The palate combines white fruit, peach and lime zesty
flavors in a light bodied manner that is refreshing and tangy. Simple and
straightforward, with plenty of acidity, it will be a perfect match to oysters,
shellfish and summery salads. I
liked it, even if it was a bit on the light, dryish side and a bit short in the
finish, but I love lemony, zesty flavors, so there again it is a matter of
taste.
2007 Meursault AOC
village
No real need to say that Meursault is surely is one of the
most recognizable and appreciated white wines from Burgundy, especially the
Premiers Crus, and one of my favorites too. Of course we can always talk about
Puligny and Chassagne or even the more expensive Corton-Charlemagne and
Monrachet, but it seems that Meursault, in the mind and palate of most consumers,
resounds with quality, depth, pleasurable experience and worth of money. It is interesting to notice that anyone
can talk about the cited above wines and most people will react such as: “It
depends of the producer!” (for Puligny and Chassagne) or “Isn’t it too
expensive?” (for Corton and Montrachet). Yet, when you talk about Meursault,
suddenly everybody seems to be on the same page, like a good compromise with
which you cannot really go wrong. In short and in terms of white Burgundy, it
seems that Meursault, in most case scenarios, is the wine of choice. And I
couldn’t agree more to that fact.This Meursault is a living proof of it.
Although 2007 was not a great vintage for reds in Burgundy,
it actually suited the whites better, allowing for more acidity and balance. Of
course, the ripeness and complexity of the two previous vintages (2005, 2006)
wasn’t achieved, yet the resulting wines were often lighter and crisper, less
opulent and calling for a more traditional style. This Meursault spent about
9-12 months in partially new oak barrels, which helped the texture and overall
structure of the wine. The nose boasts lovely floral, white and yellow fruit
aromas mingled with light toasted, buttery oak and minerals notes. The palate
is soft, gentle and mineral, offering nice yellow fruit, apple, pear and peach
with lemon accents lingering nicely toward the long racy finish. A delightful
wine, although on the lighter side for a Meursault, yet expressing all the
minerality of the marl-limestone soil, which confers the wine its elegant and
racy, generous and almost viscous mouthfeel. Complex, long and calling for
another glass, yet more traditional in style, it will pair well with buttered
lobster tail, white fish, poultry and some game. I loved it.
2007 Bourgogne Pinot
Noir Reserve Cuvée
As I was saying for the previous wine, 2007 was not great
for reds in Burgundy, yet it is a more traditional style for the consumers who
prefer classic taste rather than nowadays opulent, overripe and powerful Pinot
Noir based wines. Pinot noir by definition should be see-trough, light, crisp
and versatile. To tell you the truth, I’m having some difficulties to
understand the producers and wineries that produce Pinot Noir that are as dark
and high in alcohol as Zinfandel. Anything above 14% of alcohol for a Pinot
noir should be banned or forbidden in my opinion, however, it is just a
question of taste as always.
This wine is somewhat in the other extreme, showing unripe
cherry fruit, high acidity and slight green tannins that may bring a slight
bitterness in the finish. That said, I still like the wine for what it is and
need to admit that I was surprised that during each events we served it to,
compared to the fruitier and more approachable 2008 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, most
of our guests came back for more of the 2007, rather than the 2008. No secret,
this wine is tight when first open but then seems to round up and integrate
after about half an hour of opening. Moreover, it is definitely a food wine
rather than a wine to sip on its own. A bit tight and dry, slightly green and bitter for my taste,
but hey, it was one of the go-to wines of the last 3-4 events that we did, so I
guess it is only a matter of opinion.
2002
Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Aux Thorey”
This Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, "Aux Thorey," is
a perfect example of a great wine made on a vintage downgraded by the press and
the critics. Once again, it proves that nothing is written in stone, and consumers
as well as buyer (like me) can still be surprised even if skeptical about the
vintage or label before tasting the wine. In fact, that is the bottom line of
every tasting. To assess the qualities of a wine and be able to fairly
describe, promote and/or sell it (and rate it for those who rate their wines),
one needs to open the bottle and taste it, no matter what has been said in the
press by the trade and the critics. Tasting the wine is the key. One should
never generalize and/or make hasty assessments about a wine due to its vintage
or label or even producer. Like with everything else, it is better to first try
the wine before saying anything about it (especially if it is something bad
that may end up to be incorrect or inaccurate after tasting it). Wine is very
subjective and everyone has different taste, therefore it is better not to say
anything if you don’t know. Some things are better left unsaid (you know the
song….).
However, let’s leave that discussion for another post and
get back to this wine. I was pleasantly surprised while a bit hesitating at
first (that is the reason why I wrote the paragraph above). 2002 has produced
more miss than hit, although some wines ended up being very good to great, they
are still rare and few and in my opinion it was more a producer’s vintage. DGVF
seems to have nailed it once again with this nice example of
Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Aux Thorey. The harvested grapes were delicately sorted before being
plucked off the vines, then one more time at the cellar before fermentation, and
then the resulting wine was aged in French oak barrels for 15 to 20 months of
maturation. The nose is delicate, earthy with ripe red cherry fruit aromas
mingled with hints of mineral, floral and earthy underbrush, mushroom and oak,
giving through these slight signs of age in the bottle an identity quite unique
to older Burgundian wine. The
palate is also delicate, almost fragile at first, on the light side, yet
elegant and integrated with great balance between the fruit, acidity and
tannins. It expands gently with firmer yet structured tannins and lingers with
oaky and earthy, almost spicy or peppery notes. I liked it a lot.
Go to "Domaine des Grands Vin de France" and "Signature French Wines" for more info, price, pictures and availability.
Enjoy!
LeDomduVin
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