2013 Claire Naudin Côtes de Nuits Villages 'Viola Odorata' Vieilles Vignes

ETA LATE SEPTEMBER

This cuvée is the emblematic wine of Claire, coming from her father’s favorite plots: 90 year-old vines located just east of Magny-lès-Villiers in Corgoloin. On this perfectly eastern exposed slope of limestone, the Pinots reach a perfect, slow maturity. Hand-harvested, the grapes are vinified whole-cluster with no pump over, free run and press are blended after the two weeks maceration. Sulfur is used usually just at bottling after 18-20 months of aging in 228 liter barrels with a majority percentage new but with gentle toast. The wine is bottled unfiltered.  Viola always needs more time, and 2017 is just starting to show all the potential of this superb cuvée. The nose is very enticing with a very nuanced florality coming from the grape and the use of whole-cluster (Claire is really becoming a master of that technique!). On the palate the wine shows darker cherries than Orchis, with a hint of liquorice and cardamon. The oak just adds a touch of torrefaction perfectly in tune with the overall bouquet of that bottle. Tannins are silky yet present. The finish is lingering, and really detailed: the old vines shine through. This is a really great bottle of Pinot you can age 15 years. If open today, decant and pair it with beef tenderloin tartare with roasted tomato, rabbit agnolotti with thyme jus or an Epoisses style cheese. 100% Pinot Noir.