La POUSSE D'OR -- 2012 Côte de Beaune wines tasted prior to bottling in November 2013 (Volnay)

Quantity overall (that is, including the Côte de Nuits wines) was actually a little higher here than in 2011. The oak regiment for premiers crus is 30% new, 30% one-year, 30% two-year (and, presumably, 10% older than two years). For grands crus, it’s 40-45% new oak. The barrels are François Frères and Séguin-Moreau medium toast. For the white, the new wood varies, but the tendency has been to use less new oak than previously. Malolactic fermentation for the reds were a little later than usual, beginning in May-June and ending over the summer with traces still left in a few wines when I tasted in November 2013. There was no whole cluster fermentation in 2013.

These wines recall 2003 in terms of their density. (Continue reading here.)