Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Ursulines 2011 Wine, 75 cl (Case of 6)

Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Ursulines is pale in colour with a very fresh nose with notes of citrus and a touch of elegant oak. Very well-balanced on the palate with good levels of lifting acidity. An attractive wine with finesse on the finish. The wine was made from selected parcels from the Côte de Beaune, in fact most of it is ‘declassified‘ Rully, which gave a richness and structure to the wine. This is quite rare as most negociants source their ‘Bourgogne Blanc‘ from the cheaper Macônnais area. Soils are mostly limestone-clay. Grégory is fanatical about the quality in the vineyard, regularly checking for any sign of disease or vine pests; he focusses particularly on soil management in order to increase microbiological activity and thus soil and vine health. Very particular conditions were experienced in 2011 which led to a very early harvest. Springtime was particularly dry and warm giving early signs of potentially promising quality. Rainfall in July helped build up water levels in the soil and brought a fresh lease of life to the vines. Unpredictable stormy conditions in August led to growers paying extra care to their vines. Abundant sunshine and low rainfall levels in September rewarded the growers‘ patience. Strict sorting of grapes was required both in the vineyard and at the winery. The appealing style of this vintage, already easy to appreciate, will allow for early drinking. The whole bunches of grapes were pressed very gently for two and a half hours. The must was dropped to 12 degree C before being transferring to barrels, without settling to conserve as much of the lees as possible. A long fermentation followed using natural yeasts. The wine aged for 15 months without racking, and with no lees stirring to accentuate the wine's mineral qualities. 10% new French oak barrels were used to impart subtle complexity and a smooth finish. Again, it is quite rare for a ‘Bourgogne Blanc‘ to be 100% aged in oak. Bottling took place in January 2013 using gravity after fining with bentonite and a very light filtration. It comes with the vintage information as follows: Vintage: 2011; Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay; Region: Cote de Nuits, France; Wine maker: Gregory Patriot; Closure: Stelvin; Classitication: AOC; Alcohol (ABV): 12.5%; Acidity: 5.81 g/l; Residual Sugar: l.3g/l; Wine pH: 3.29.