2015 Romanée-St Vivant, Grand Cru, Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat, Burgundy

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or. Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat has extensive vineyard holdings based around the Noëllat heartland of Vosne-Romanée and covering all the villages from Nuits St Georges to Chambolle-Musigny. Charles Hudelot arrived at the domaine to take over from his grandfather Alain in 2008, assisted also by Vincent Munier who has been working there since 2005. There is no intention to deviate from the previous style of fine, fragrant wines however. Small changes include the purchase of a new destemmer which sends the grapes into the fermentation vats uncrushed. The vineyards continue to be run according to lutte raisonnée though Charles is open to an organic approach in the future. New oak remains unobtrusive, with 20% for the village wines and up to 50-60% for the grands crus wines. Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.