09 Feb 2021

Last week we tasted cask samples of Jeannin-Naltet's 2019s.  It was immediately clear that these were from the same domaine, but the vibrant fruit and silky texture is even more obvious in 2019 and the wines were wonderfully fresh.  Benoît points out that the lack of rain before harvest which led to a small vintage also meant that the tartaric acid levels in the fruit were not diluted; a useful explanation to the conundrum of how wines from such a hot year can still be so fresh.

The result is wines which are very accessible now, but which have long ageing potential.  We recommend buying the '19s en primeur and asking us if we have any of the 2018s left (not much) to drink while you wait (not long).

Offered en primeur, landing autumn 2021.

Producer Profile

Domaine Jeannin-Naltet, Mercurey

Domaine Jeannin-Naltet in Mercurey was a new find for us in 2018.  A small, family-owned domaine, it has been undergoing a transformation since Benoît Eschard took over from his uncle, seven years ago.   Nearly 8 of Benoît's 9 hectares are premier cru and he has been working hard to emphasize freshness and minerality in his 1er Cru 'Clos des Grand Voyens' (a monopole, owned solely by the domaine) and 1er cru Les Naugues. 

The 'Clos des Grand Voyens' is on a mixture of clay and limestone and shows both chalky-limestone character and a softer, more broad-shouldered style.  'Les Naugues' undoubtedly has more concentration, but more limestone in the terroir gives a tauter structure, which will take a little longer to come round for drinking.