Jean-Claude Boisset, Bourgogne Pinot Noir `Les Ursulines`

Jean-Claude Boisset, Bourgogne Pinot Noir `Les Ursulines`

Vintage: 2023

VintageProduct CodeFormatClosureAvailability
2023BO203A2312 x 75ScrewcapAvailable
Producer

Jean-Claude Boisset is a family-owned wine company founded in 1961, with their first parcel located in Gevrey-Chambertin. Today the company is based in Les Ursulines, a former convent in Nuits-Saint-Georges and is run by brother and sister duo Jean-Charles and Nathalie Boisset. In 2018, they opened a new state-of-the-art winery, reflecting their modern, technical approach to winemaking.

Since 2002, the wines have been made by Grégory Patriat. Previously head viticulturist and assistant winemaker at the legendary Domaine Leroy, Grégory has brought a detailed, vineyard-led approach to Jean-Claude Boisset. This approach is mirrored in Grégory’s winemaking, resulting in wines that reflect their origins with a harmony of freshness and fruit expression. After tasting the 2021 vintage, Jancis Robinson wrote that she “was utterly knocked out by the balance and refinement of Grégory Patriat’s wines at J-C Boisset”.

Today, Grégory makes 45 wines from across the Côte d’Or, working closely with his team of growers throughout the year. He gets just as excited about his plot of Grand Cru ‘Clos de la Roche’ (from which he has been buying fruit since 2002) or his vines in Chambolle-Musigny (which includes a parcel of the Premier Cru ‘Clos de l’Orme’), as he does with his Aligoté, his Fixin Blanc or other lesser-known appellations.

His philosophy is simple: work with old, massal selection vines that produce highly concentrated, low-yielding fruit. In the cellar, he is non-interventionist, preferring to let the fruit express itself. “70-80% of the quality comes from the vineyard,” he says. Vinification for the reds is in large, open-topped oak foudres, while the whites are fermented in Chassin barrels. Since 2007, Grégory has introduced larger 450-litre barrels to reduce the influence of oak.

Grégory’s wines have won no fewer than 74 medals and 13 trophies from prestigious competitions over the past eight years, including the International Wine Challenge ‘Clos de la Roche’ Trophy, which he has won five times.

Vineyards

The Pinot Noir is sourced mostly from vineyards on clay-limestone soils in the Côte de Nuits. Vine age is between 35 to 40 years old, this ensures that the vines produce lower yields and results in the quality of the blend being far superior to that of a standard Bourgogne Rouge. The vineyard management here is stringent and specific techniques are employed to control yields, guaranteeing good concentration of flavours in the grapes. These techniques include debudding, cluster thinning, little or no use of fertiliser and environmentally-friendly vine protection. All of the grapes are hand harvested into small 20kg crates.

Vintage

The 2023 vintage in Burgundy began with an unusually mild winter followed by temperature fluctuations until the end of March. Spring was surprisingly dry, with temperatures rising in April and stabilising in May. Flowering was rapid come June and fruit set occurred under optimal conditions. A few thunderstorms and some hailstorms during the summer caused some localised damage, and heat spikes in August accelerated berry ripening and veraison. Harvest began in early September. Despite the variations in weather, the harvest was generous and delivered both quantity and excellent quality. Harvest at Jean-Claude Boisset took place from 4th to the 16th September.

Vinification

Upon arrival at the winery, the bunches went through a rigorous triage on the sorting table. The grapes were then destemmed but not crushed, and gravity-fed into stainless-steel vats. Maceration lasted 20 days, including four days of pre-fermentation cold maceration at 12°C to extract aroma and colour. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts with occasional punching down of the cap. Following fermentation, the wine was aged on lees for seven months in lightly toasted French oak barrels (10% new) before being lightly filtered and bottled.

Tasting Notes & Technical Details

Bright ruby in colour. On the nose intense aromas of forest fruits are married with a well integrated toastiness. On the palate, velvety tannins give structure and a mouthwatering acidity carries the flavours onto the lingering finish. A Bourgogne Pinot Noir that punches well above its weight.

Alcohol (ABV)

13%

Acidity

4.5 g/l

Residual Sugar

1.5 g/l

pH

3.6