Description
Domaine Thillardon Cru Chenas Chassignol《WC Selection》
Region: Chenas , Beaujolais Cru, France
Website: http://domainethillardon.simplesite.com/
📜 Multiple vintage: 2000 & 2011
🌟 Flagship wine of Thillardon
🌟 Chenas rising star natural winemaker Paul-Henri Thillardon
🌟 Beaujolais + Gamay = wine of the future + price of the past
🌟 Top producer of the region by many critics
🌟 Neal Martin: "Paul Henri Thillardon, A top notch winemaker"
🌟 William Kelley(Wine Advocate): One of the most exciting producers in contemporary Beaujolais.
🌟 Jancis Robinson: "A group of amazing youngsters in the Beaujolais region, who have played an integral part in the elevation of Beaujolais' reputation and quality.’"
🌟 Christophe Tupinier (Le Point Vin): Beaujolais has a future, and estates like that of the Thillardon brothers provide abrilliant illustration.
👇🏻Vintage 2016 (F789B)👇🏻
Grapes: 100% Gamay
Alcohol: 12.5%
🏅 Wine Advocate 93
🏅 Vinous 93
👇🏻Vintage 2020 (F789A)👇🏻
Grapes: 100% Gamay
Alcohol: 12.5%
Domaine Thillardon, the future of Beaujolais!
Beaujolaishas a future, and estates like that of the Thillardon brothers provide abrilliant illustration. By Christophe Tupinier
By Le Point Vin Christophe Tupinier
「The Thillardon brothers continue to go from strength to strength, and they are fast emerging as one of the most exciting producers in contemporary Beaujolais.」 Wine Advocate
Natural Wine New Star Paul-Henri Thillardon
Paul-Henri Thillardon is, at a very young age, a masterful winemaker. It’s got to be a gift, he has perfect pitch and his wines sing.
Chenas is not far from Moulin-a-Vent, and for that reason the wines can show much of the same muscle. Paul-Henri brings you this concentration, but knows where the balance point is for elegance. We call it ‘grown-up wine.
In 2008, at the age of 22, he made the important decision to dedicate his work to the cru of Chenas, rather than in neighboring and better-known Moulin-a-Vent which usurps much of the notoriety of Chenas. Tilting at windmills, some say.
He began with 3 hectares (7.2 acres) of family vines in appellation Beaujolais,then the following year entered into a sharecrop deal for 2 hectares (4.8 acres) in Chenas near the Château Boccard on granite soil in the climat Deschamps, a vineyard that had been tended organically for 15 years prior. He was able to use the château’s winemaking facilities, and so, early on, had optimum working conditions.
Then in 2010, he planted an acre of vines on a beautiful south-east facing parcel in Chiroubles, and another parcel of Viognier grapes, a variety that is not authorized in the Beaujolais rules. By early 2011, the domain covered 5.7 hectares (13.7 acres) with his Chenas vines an average of 40 years old. and some of them are over 95 years old.
Principles- organic, biodynamic, farming
From the outset, Paul-Henri has avidly pursued organic, biodynamic, farming techniques that inspired by Beaujolais natural key person Jean-Louis Dutraive. The vineyards in Chenas are certified bio AB, and the Beaujolais vineyards areas well, since the 2011 vintage. He has shown an natural ability to produce quality wines respectful of the terroir and the environment.The vines are treated with bio-dynamic compounds and preparations (nettle manure,comfrey, horsetail, seaweed) to strengthen their natural defense mechanisms. He uses a horse-drawn plow to promote ventilation of the soils and to let microbial life flourish.
Vinification
The grapes are picked and brought to sorting tables in the winery where they are picked over bunch by bunch to assure quality. Vinification is traditional Burgundian,destalked and leaving the grape berries whole, with long maceration and moderate extraction. Now Change to whole brunch semi-carbonated maceration to be more reflect the terrior as Paul-Henri think. This yields fine, subtle, racy wines. The Chenas ‘Les Carrieres’ is bottled after Easter,while the other parcels’ cuvees are left longer, a year if not more, if the potential allows. This is judged simply by tasting. No sulfur is used until the wine is bottled.
🏅 Wine Advocate 93 points (Vintage 2016) :
The 2016 Chénas Chassignol bursts with lovely aromas of roses, violets, ripe cherries, plums and grilled meats. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with lovely energy and cut, concluding with a long, strikingly mineral finish.
🏅 Vinous 93 points (Vintage 2016) :
Vivid magenta. Powerful red/blue fruit, potpourri and spicecake aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a smoky nuance with air. Combines power and finesse with a smooth hand, offering palate-staining black raspberry, blueberry and violet pastille flavors that spread out steadily on the back half. Shows impressive energy and a suave floral pastille quality on the gently tannin finish, which leaves a suave floral note behind.
Vintage 2016 (F789B) $358/bottle
Vintage 2020 (F789A) $300/bottle
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