2010 Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Ghislaine Barthod

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.

Bourgogne Rouge, or Burgundy Red, encompasses red wines primarily crafted from Pinot Noir grapes falling under the Bourgogne AOC classification. These wines are acclaimed for their graceful profiles, red fruit fragrances, and intricate flavour profiles, all of which mirror the distinctive terroir of Burgundy.

Ghislaine Barthod’s domaine originated in the 1920s with Marcel Noëllat, whose daughter married Gaston Barthod – a soldier stationed in Dijon who came to buy some wine and got the girl as well. He gave up military life for the vineyards in ’60. His daughter, Ghislaine, and her partner, Louis Boillot, bought their current premises overlooking Premier Cru Les Feusselottes in ’86. Though they share the team who work the vineyards, the vinification and commercial aspects of their businesses are kept separate. The domaine has an incomparable range of Chambolle-Musigny terroirs, with 11 separate Premier Cru bottlings and highly regarded Bourgogne and village wines.