Visiting Cécile Tremblay is always a special occasion – great wines and a cheerful atmosphere of wine and jokes.
The estate has been enlarged with a number of new plots – important vineyards that bring Tremblay into another class of vigneronne. She now has more vineyards and larger portions of some of the top ones, i.e. Beaux Monts and Échezeaux.
I will bring you more details on the domaine’s enlargement when I have complete and accurate data.
Some background on Cécile Tremblay
Cécile Tremblay began her endeavour in 2002-03, taking over some of the family vineyards and beginning to produce wine.
The vineyards originally come from the Edouard Jayer estate – Henri Jayer’s uncle. Edouard Jayer was Cécile Tremblay’s great-grandfather and a cooper in Nuits-Saint-Georges before the First World War. In 1921, he married Esther Fournier, who came from a vigneron family. They established their estate based on vineyards from the Fournier inheritance and expanded their holdings over the years.
In 1950, the vineyards were shared amongst their five children. Renée – the youngest daughter – kept her share, renting them out in métayage (share-cropping). Renée’s only daughter, Marie Annick, and her husband expanded the estate while still keeping it leased – until 2002.
After her studies, their daughter, Cécile, decided to take over the family vineyards as their leases expired – and thus was born the delightful Domaine Cécile Tremblay in early 2003.
As mentioned, the vineyards prior to 2003 were leased to other growers in métayage, but Cécile was able to take back three hectares in the beginning, and will take back more as the métayage agreements expire. This is where the new vineyards came from in 2022.
The approach at Domaine Cécile Tremblay is organic and biodynamic. It was certified organic in 2005, and in 2016, the biodynamic certification was attained.
The ’22 expansion
In 2022, there was an expansion of the estate, with vineyards returning from the Noëllat family. Of particular interest is the large plot of Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts and a plot of Beaux Monts Bas that is part of Échezeaux.
More about the Beaux Monts Bas in a future article.
The lively 2023s
Cécile Tremblay makes intense, vivacious wines. They are expressive, with rich mid-palate fruit and generous intensity. The 2023s are lighter and more vivid than the quite sumptuous 2022s.
When I tasted the 2023s in late fall of 2023 (December), I preferred the style of the 2023s, but now, I think it is quite a close call between the two vintages, with 2022 leading on the points and 2023 on the hedonistic heats … I simply like the more vivid and lively style of the 2023s.
And so, to work. The wines were tasted on December 12, 2023.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay Morey-Saint-Denis 2023
The Morey village is more intense and more vivid and lively than the 2022. The freshness seems more energetic … perhaps, more because of the lower phenolic ripeness. I’m not sure the acidity is much higher in the 2023s. Slight reduction currently that blows off in the glass.
(Drink From 2031) – Very Good – (89-90p) – 
Domaine Cécile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny 2023
This beauty is from the Morey side of Chambolle. It includes grapes from Les Fremières, Aux Échanges, and Les Maladières. It’s quite light-footed and delicate. The 2023 really has a lovely Chambolle note. A lovely wine … with a hedonistic touch.
(Drink From 2033) – Very Good – (89-91p) – 
Domaine Cécile Tremblay Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes 2023
The Vosne-Romanée VV is a real step up in intensity; it comes from Les Jacquines and Les Communes. Vivid and lively … elegant … deep …. and beautifully perfumed. Very energetic, effortless and with a zen-like balance. I love the perfumed nose of Vosne spices – notes of curry, cloves, and allspice, with peonies at the rim of the glass.
(Drink From 2033) – Fine – (90-91p) – 
Domaine Cécile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny Aux Échanges 2023
The Chambolle Aux Échanges is usually the best village wine from Tremblay. It’s vinified without sulphur and uses 100% whole-cluster fruit. Add to this the age of the vines – they were planted in 1927 – and the result is a wine with an organic character showing classic Chambolle refinement. It is very expressive and effortless, really showing the very best sides of Chambolle. Vraiment a Vin d’émotion.
(Drink From 2031) – Fine+ – (91-92p) –
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- A Vin Vif - fresh, energetic and with a light appearance