Savigny-Les-Beaune „Aux Fourneaux“ rouge 2018

The Pinot noir comes from the Aux Fourneaux Premier Cru vineyard in Savigny-lès-Beaune, as well as from a part of the vineyard that is only declared as local wine, which is why the addition "Premier Cru" is omitted for the 2018 vintage. The commune is located about three and a half kilometers northwest of Beaune, and with 383 hectares, it has one of the most extensive vineyards in this region. In the Premier Cru site Aux Fourneaux, Domaine Chandon de Briailles owns 1.68 hectares in eastern exposure. The soil is clayey and deep. In the upper part of the plot, there is also lime in the topsoil. Spontaneous fermentation took place in wood cuve with fairly high whole cluster percentages. Then it went by gravity into the barriques and tonneaux with a small amount of new wood. This was followed by about 14 months of aging without further agitation or racking. Filling was done with minimal sulfur, mostly straight from the barrel.

medium cherry-red

The loamy and deep soil of the Aux Fourneaux site provides the basis for the wine's character. The 2018 Pinot combines a warm impression with the slightly sweet scent of ripe raspberries, plums and sweet cherries in combination with peonies, cinnamon as well as darker notes of olive tapenade and dry undergrowth. It is quite similar to the premier cru of the neighboring Les Lavières site, but overall seems a bit darker, softer darker and a bit more wood-spicy. 

The 2018 Aux Fourneaux like its predecessors, is inviting from the first moment with its silky texture, sweet dark fruit and remarkable juiciness. The tannin of the Savigny-lès-Beaune melts on the palate like milk chocolate with only a slight amount of dark tart chocolate. The Pinot noir from a deep site offers plenty of dark, juicy and fleshy fruit with a tense acidity. Despite the power of the 2018 vintage, the wine shows fresh and downright playfully vibrant. It is now fully there and certainly has potential for a decade.