Jean-Claude Boisset `Aux Echanges` Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 2020

Chambolle-Musigny is one of the smallest and most parcelled of the Côte with only 97ha of Village appellation vines, 50ha of Premiers Crus and 25 ha of Grand Crus. It is thought that `Aux Echanges` takes its name from either a donation in favour of the Abbey of Citeaux or the word 'Echangeur', because the vineyard is at the crossroads of several paths. The vineyard for Boisset’s Chambolle-Musigny `Aux Exchanges` is located on south-east facing slopes with a calcareous and pebbly soil composition. The vines, that cover 0.141ha, are pruned using the Guyot system and are on average 50 years old. Yields at harvest average 32 hectolitres per hectare. 2020 in Burgundy was characterised by hot and dry conditions. After a mild spring, temperatures climbed and then remained consistently warm throughout the majority of the summer months, greatly reducing any risk of disease in the vineyard. Unfortunately, with their characteristically thin skins, a portion of the Pinot Noir grapes were affected by sunburn and had to be removed before harvest, which took place on the 6th September. However, those that were left were of superb quality, with high colour and aromatic intensity. Grégory Patriat is excited by the potential of the 2020s: “Lots of lovely colour in the reds, with very high polyphenol content, firm tannins and excellent levels of acidity. Looks set to be a year with great cellaring potential". The hand-harvested grapes were carefully sorted at the vineyard and transferred into small, perforated boxes for transportation to the winery. Upon arrival, they underwent a second selection process to ensure that only those in pristine condition were used. After sorting, 50% of the bunches were destemmed and gravity-fed into small stainless-steel vats, without any crushing. 80% of the remaining whole bunches underwent a 13-day maceration on their skins, including two days at a cold 12°C, before the entire crop underwent fermentation with indigenous yeasts at controlled temperatures. After fermentation, the wine was racked to 100% new oak, where it continues to age.