Savigny-Les-Beaune “Aux Fourneaux” rouge 2018

Wine overview
The heart of this Pinot Noir lies in the Premier Cru site Aux Fourneaux in Savigny-lès-Beaune, complemented by part of a neighbouring site that is generally classified as a village wine. As a result, the 2018 vintage lacks the "Premier Cru" appellation. This area, which stretches about three kilometres northwest of Beaune, occupies a considerable area in the wine region with 383 hectares. Domaine Chandon de Briailles owns 1.68 hectares on an eastern exposure in the Premier Cru site Aux Fourneaux. The soil is rather loamy and deep, with a chalky layer in the upper part. The natural fermentation took place in wooden barrels, mostly with whole grapes. The wine was then transferred by gravity only to barriques and tonneaux with sparing amounts of new wood, where it aged untouched for about 14 months. A minimum of sulphur was added at bottling, straight from the barrel.
Colour
Medium cherry red
Scent
The characteristic note of this wine is based on the loamy and deep soil of the Aux Fourneaux site. Here, a warm aroma melds with sweet scents of ripe raspberries, plums and sweet cherries, and merges with peonies, cinnamon and darker notes of olive tapenade and dry undergrowth. Even though it reflects the Premier Cru of the neighbouring Les Lavières vineyard, it seems overall a little deeper, darker and slightly more wood-spicy.
Taste
The 2018 Aux Fourneaux picks up the tradition of its predecessors and immediately impresses with its silky texture, sweet dark fruit and an impressive juiciness. The tannin makes a soft, melting impression, partly like milk chocolate, partly like tart dark chocolate. With its notes of dark, juicy and fleshy fruit flavours, this wine from a deep site forms an exciting interplay together with its lively acidity. Despite its powerful nature, the 2018 vintage remains fresh and downright vibrant. This wine is already showing its full presence and promises potential over the next decade.

Dishes to enjoy the wine
Try the Aux Fourneaux 2018 with a juicy grilled ribeye steak with a mushroom hash brown and an onion sauce. This wine is also essential with a breast of wild duck with sage sauce and creamy polenta or with a juicy chicken breast fillet with a spicy hot mustard sauce and seasonal vegetables.