Domaine Denis Mortet : Gevrey-Chambertin Village "Mes Cinq Terroirs" 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 2020

Tasting

Appearance
The appearance unveils a ruby red hue.

Nose
The nose reveals particularly attractive and accessible aromas, with spicy notes characteristic of Pinot Noir accompanied by deep black fruit.

Palate
On the palate, this wine presents a well-integrated structure with fleshy and assertive tannins. The whole still requires a few years of cellaring to reach full integration, but demonstrates substantial development potential.

Food and wine pairings

This Gevrey-Chambertin pairs perfectly with roasted white meats accompanied by mushrooms, notably preparations with porcini or morels. It also goes elegantly with braised red meats, game birds such as quail or guinea fowl, as well as aged cheeses such as Comté or characterful soft cheeses.

Service and cellaring

This 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin is best enjoyed between 16 and 18°C. Decanting for one hour allows its aromas to open up in its youth. The optimal tasting window is between approximately 2026 and 2032, with aging potential extending until 2034 and beyond.

A lively and beautifully concentrated Burgundian Gevrey-Chambertin

The estate

Domaine Denis Mortet traces its origins to 1956 with the planting of a first hectare of vines by Charles Mortet in Gevrey-Chambertin. In 1978, his son Denis joined the family farm before officially creating Domaine Denis Mortet in 1993. Today, the estate extends over sixteen hectares spread across around one hundred plots throughout the Côte de Nuits. Since 2006, the estate has been managed by Arnaud Mortet, joined by his mother Laurence and his sister Clémence since 2013. The estate stands out for its environmentally respectful approach, combining sustainable practices and organic farming, and produces wines recognized for their elegance, finesse, and exceptional aging potential.

The vineyard

The "Mes Cinq Terroirs" cuvée comes from five distinct plots located on the Brochon slope, on the northern side of Gevrey-Chambertin. These five localities - En Motrot, Au Vellé, Combe du Dessus, En Champs, and En Derée - total approximately six hectares of vines aged sixty to seventy years on average. This mosaic of terroirs offers a remarkable diversity of soils ranging from limestone, volcanic soils, clay-limestone scree, gravel, and marl. The vines are managed according to sustainable farming principles, with limited mechanical plowing to preserve soil structure, natural grass cover, and a total absence of chemical fertilizers or synthetic herbicides. Harvesting is done manually with collection in small crates to preserve the integrity of the berries.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy is characterized by exceptional weather conditions. After a mild and wet winter, the vegetative cycle started early with flowering in early May. The year was distinguished by remarkable dryness from late May to August, the most significant since 1945, creating moderate water stress on the vines. A heat spike between late July and mid-August coincided with veraison. Despite these conditions, the harvest began in mid-August with grapes presenting optimal phenolic maturity and preserved acidity, notably tartaric acid. The vintage produced wines of surprising freshness, combining concentration and balance, with elegant profiles and great aging capacity.

Winemaking and aging

After rigorous sorting of the bunches, about 30% of the harvest is vinified as whole bunches while the rest undergoes partial destemming preserving about 70% of the stems. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, accompanied by pump-overs and punch-downs performed with delicacy. The aging of the 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin "Mes Cinq Terroirs" takes place over eighteen months in French oak barrels, with a distribution of approximately 30% new barrels, 30% one-wine barrels, and 40% older barrels. This measured approach to the use of new wood allows the fruit expression to be preserved while adding structure and complexity.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir