Domaine Jacques PRIEUR -- 2013 Reds from Cask

 Domaine Jacques PRIEUR (Meursault)

2013 Reds from Cask

The progress that has been made here in recent years, making the wines more refined and less extracted and oaky, continues. Harvesting began on October 3 with the whites. Chaptalization was on the order of 0.4-0.5º for the most part. There were no serious rot problems but a lot of millerandage (shot berries) and hail damage on part of the Côte de Beaune limited production. There was a lot of work in the vineyards with leaves to open up grape bunches to air and sun. At harvest, there were two triages, one in the vineyard and one at the reception, but that was for maturity, as the vineyard work meant that there were no rot problems here.

Many malolactic fermentations were very late, and indeed there are some wines that I did not taste because they had not completed their malos.

We start with the reds here.

2013 Beaune 1er Cru – Clos de la Féguine

The nose here is quite lovely – pure, deep, and dark fruit. The mouth is very dense and concentrated with black cherry fruit, roundness, some tannins, and overall balance. The grapes were harvested on October 7 at 12º potential alcohol, chaptalized to 12.9º. All grapes were destemmed. There was a major triage of grapes for this wine. (90-93)

2013 Beaune 1er Cru – Les Grèves

This wine shows smoky cassis aromas with white pepper. The mouth features roundness and concentration to its ripe dark plum fruit. There are tannins here, but they are less noticeable than in the Clos de la Féguine. 90% hit by hail. 11.5º potential alcohol, chaptalized to 12º. Harvested on October 11. Raised 25% in new oak. (89-92)

2013 Beaune 1er Cru – Champs Pîmont

The nose here shows dark fruit with a touch of minerality. The mouth is nervy and pure with black and red cherry fruit and good overall balance. The tannins are fine but present and a touch dry that continues on the finish. This was one of the most severely hailed-upon parcels in the estate. Harvesting was on October 11 and there was a very serious triage here. 11.2-3º potential alcohol at harvest. (89-93)

2013 Volnay 1er Cru – Clos des Santenots

The nose here is rather closed. The mouth shows finesse for a Santenots and very good concentration and depth to its red currant fruit. This wine is salivating in the mouth and will need some aging. 40% loss from hail, and because there was less hail, there was a less serious triage here than for the Beaunes. Harvested on October 8 at 12º potential alcohol. (91-94)

2013 Corton-Bressandes

The aromas here are deep, pure, dark, slightly earthy, characteristic of Bressandes. The mouth is light, pure, penetrating, and intense with blueberry fruit. Tannins are present but fine. Overall the wine shows finesse and length for Bressandes. There was no hail here. Harvesting was on October 7, and there was less rain that day than on some of the others; this habitually is one of the first reds harvested at the estate. 11.9º potential alcohol at harvest. (92-96)

2013 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

This wine is from younger (about 25 years-old) vines in the estate’s Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos-de-Bèze holdings. Some pepper in the nose is followed by dark cherry fruit in the mouth. The wine is round, harmonious, calm and shows quite a bit of structure for the vintage. Good purity and freshness here. The fruit is so forward that this wine might drink extremely well young, Harvested on October 10 at 12.3º potential alcohol. The grapes were in a very healthy state. 80% new oak on this wine. (91-95)

2013 Chambertin

The vines here are about 40 years old. This wine is more closed and more concentrated than the premier cru. It should eventual be the better wine, but it needs a lot of time. The fruit here is very dark.  Harvested on October 10 at 12.5º potential alcohol. Lots of shot grapes here. (91-95)

2013 Clos-Vougeot

The nose is typical of Clos-Vougeot with black raspberries and some minerality. The mouth is deep and dark with black raspberries and a little red raspberry. This wine is very concentrated and has tannins, but balanced, and will need time. The vines are located in the middle of the Clos. Harvesting, on October 9, was a little later than it otherwise would have been because of the thick skins (hence the tannin). Harvested at 12º potential alcohol. Malolactic fermentation was late here, finishing in early/mid-October. (92-96)

2013 Musigny

The nose shows raspberries. The mouth is tannic and very concentrated, but there is tremendous fruit here. This will one day be a fantastic wine, but that may yet be thirty years off. Harvested on October 9 at 12.3º potential alcohol; the grapes were in a very healthy state but plenty of shot berries. (94-98)