DOMAINE(SÉBASTIEN(( VOLNAY'“LES'ÉCHARDS”!2016! ! '

! No relation to the Côtes de Nuits Magniens, young Sébastien comes instead from Meloisey in the Hautes Côtes de where he still harvest most of his fruits from old vines planted by his grandfather. This fascinating winegrower,! highly spoken of by the Bourgogne connoisseurs, settled his estate in 2003 in the heart of the capital of the great Bourgogne whites, in . Starting in 1983 – Sébastien was only 2 – and for 2 decades his parents acquired meticulously 6 acres of vines in the most prestigious appellations of the Côtes de Beaune. With his mother Brigitte they now farm 25 acres of land (20 acres of Pinot Noir) in 9 appellations that includes the renowned Puligny- Montrachet, or Meursault. Nestled between Pommard to the North and Meursault to the South, Volnay is known as the Chambolle- of the Côtes de Beaune for the high active chalk component of its soil and comparatively low clay content.! Even though closest neighbors to Pommard, which is not even 1.5 miles away, the two are usually considered the opposite spectrum of Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir. When Pommard tends to be more powerful, Volnay is the silkier of both. SOIL TYPE

2.5 acre single South-east facing parcel located at the foot of the hillside. The climat “Les Echards” or “Ez Echards” is located right bellow the 1er Cru “Le Ronceret”. Marl & Oolitic Limestone (pink in color with veins of green schist). ! VARIETAL

100 % Pinot Noir. 30 years old vines.

CULTURE

Organic farming with no pesticides. Soils are ploughed mechanically. Disbudding, Green harvest and manual leaf thinning. Grapes are harvested by hand in small crates and sorted on a sorting table.

VINIFICATION

Long maceration in concrete vats. Ageing in French oak barrels (25% new) during 18 months. Before bottling the wine settle 6 month in tank.

TASTING NOTES

“Raspberry and cassis dominate the flavors. Rose petal scents bring a lot of distinction in the mid-pallet. Medium bodied, this wine is showing a delightfully silky finish. The precision of the “Mineralité” and the cristal-like purity of the fruit is a signature of Sebastien’s wines. This fellow will never stop surprising me” TM

Bourgogne Aligoté From the same winery: Hautes Côtes de Beaune blanc Meursault “Les Meix Chavaux” Bourgogne Rouge Hautes Côtes de Beaune rouge Vieilles vignes ! Beaune 1er Cru (red) Les Aigrots Pommard “Les Petits Noizons” ! !

A Thomas Meunier Selections 101 Glosson Circle, Carrboro NC 27510 – e: [email protected] !