Domaine Pierre Labet Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes 2021

This domaine in Burgundy is owned and managed by François Labet, who is also renowned for his Château de la Tour wines from the Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru vineyard. François works with the same quality-driven philosophy at Domaine Pierre Labet, and he is now aided by his enthusiastic son Edouard Labet, who has taken charge of some of the vinification and has presumably eased the approach to somewhat lighter extraction for a refined, modern style.

The Labet portfolio includes both famous and lesser-known terroirs scattered among Burgundy’s appellations. Using the same watchful eye and fastidious vineyard management as in Vougeot, the Labet family farms the vineyards with organic methods and 100% whole bunches are used here, in preference, when vintage permits, giving a lifted, sappy quality to the wines.  François prefers to control production by strict pruning rather than green harvesting. He is passionate about vine health, resolute in his belief that his wines rely totally on the health of the crop.

No sulphur dioxide is used at harvest, with François instead choosing to protect the grapes using carbon dioxide (dry ice) at the top of the vats. There is no racking after malolactic fermentation. The wines are left to settle in vat after pressing. The white wines are given brief periods of lees contact following fermentation, but no bâtonnage (lees stirring). Whites are given a light fining, not for the reds. No wines are filtered. 

The Domaine Pierre Labet Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes is a delicious expression of Pinot Noir. Wonderfully generous, supple, bright red berries. This comes from three different plots in Chorey-lès-Beaune, which has more clay than on the Côte, being located at the beginning of the plain. A real crowd pleaser.