Winehog - Burgundy with a passion

Burgundy Insights from the Winehog

Visit Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, tasting of the 2016s

By

I was very impressed when I tasted the 2015s from Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux in January 2017. I was therefor eager to get back to taste the 2016s to see if Charles Lachaux has progressed further.

At my last visit Charles Lachaux eagerly began to explain about the changes they have made at the estate in recent vintages. Explained about less use of new oak, less extraction and furthermore the introduction of a quite high percentage of whole cluster grapes in the wines.

For the village wines only 15% new oak is used, around 20% is used for the 1er crus and for the Grand Crus only 30% … so quite moderate use of oak compared to the wines made earlier. For the top wines 100% whole cluster are used – this apply to Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Corvées Pagets, Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots, Aux Reignots, Echezeaux, Latriciere-Chambertin and Romanée Saint-Vivant.

So in fact this is a completely new style of wines – and I was very pleased to see this continued in the 2016 vintage.

To go back – changes began in the 2013 vintage when Charles took over, but was so to speak fully implemented in 2015 when most of the major details were in place. To be honest this was a big change and it was not possible to get all organised within one year.

The style was pretty much in place with the 2014 vintage – have tasted quite a few of those – and the details seemed more in place with the 2015s – but what about the 2016s?

The cooler 2016s .. vs. the 2015s

It was a very hot day in Beaune – around 38 celsius – way more than I need – and I was therefore happy to taste the 2016s from cask in the cool cellar.

Charles Lachaux seems very clear and focused in what he is doing – and this certainly corresponded well with the 2016s he has produced. Style wise it’s a cooler year offering a more classic Burgundian balance than the generously rich and slightly decadent 2015s. The 2016s offer a more delicate balance and energy it seems – at this stage – but do not quite match the quite abundant fruit found in the 2015s.

I think Charles has refined the style and detail in the wines even further since the 2015 vintage – i.e. improved the vinification and presumably also the viticulture in the 2016s vintage – and the question was therefore if they could challenge the 2015s – or if the mighty 2015s would prevail.

In the end it’s not a contest or a clash between vintages – but hopefully a friendly banter where the two vintages are showing of their different virtues.

As with other estates the April 2016 frost did quite severe damage at Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, some places more so than others. In some cases the low yield seems to offer more intensity and concentration in the wines – not meaning the sort of concentration obtained by extraction or technical solutions – this a natural concentration of the grapes in the vineyards.



You need to login to read the recommendations. If you are not a subscriber, use the subscribe function and sign-up.

Login

You need a Winehog subscription to see the rest of this article.
Login

Subscribe

You need a Winehog subscription to see the rest of this article.
Subscribe

Tasting Notes for this producer

Related articles

  • Terroir View: Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Echezeaux Echezeaux is a complex vineyard, and actually only quite a few of the wines that are produced from one climate within the large Echezeaux vineyard. Many are wines from two or even several areas in the Echezeaux vineyard. There are however some prominent single vineyard Echezeaux’s .. and one is the Echezeaux made by Charles Lachaux ...
  • Terroir View: Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots Today rules and classifications are followed relatively strictly and names like Grands Suchots and Les Hautes Suchots are now glorious labels of the past. They are names signalling greatness especially of the upper part of Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots One of the best Les Suchots from the upper part of the vineyard is made at Domaine ...
  • Terroir Insight: Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, NSG Clos des Corvées Pagets One of my favourite wines from Charles Lachaux is the Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Corvées Pagets, a rather overlooked terroir located between Clos Saint-Marc, and Clos des la Corvées in the northern end of Premeaux – in the southern end of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. So let’s take a closer look at the Arnoux-Lachaux plot in Nuits-Saint-Georges ...
  • Visit Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, tasting of the 2017s Third visit at Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux … and what can I say – a very impressive visit, that confirms the constant improvements at this estate. At my last visit Charles Lachaux eagerly began to explain about the changes they have made at the estate in recent vintages. Explained about less use of new oak, less extraction and ...
  • Visit Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, tasting of the 2016s I was very impressed when I tasted the 2015s from Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux in January 2017. I was therefor eager to get back to taste the 2016s to see if Charles Lachaux has progressed further. At my last visit Charles Lachaux eagerly began to explain about the changes they have made at the estate in recent ...
  • The red 2016s – Impressions and first insights After running through my tasting notes from my June 2017 trip I have updated my impressions on the 2016 red Burgundies. Thibaud Clerget of Domaine Y. Clerget. I will update these impressions as I taste more 2016s over the next year, and add more insights ass I find them. Red Burgundies 2016 – style and impressions The 2016 red ...
  • Taking Burgundy to the next level – Domaine Leroy Viticulture The wines of Domaine Leroy are extraordinary in every sense of the word, and Mme Bize-Leroy has for decades been one of the leading and most progressive producers in the region. A lot of producers find inspiration to take their wines to another level by looking at the things Mme Bize-Leroy have done to improve quality. ...
  • Terroir Insight: Arnoux-Lachaux, Romanée Saint-Vivant One of the rapidly rising stars of Burgundy is Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux in Vosne-Romanee as the son Charles Lachaux has since 2013 taken quality to new levels – and with the 2015s he has entered in the group of top end producers in Vosne-Romanée with a outstanding lineup of wines – topped by the magnificent Romanée ...

New tasting notes and articles

Reader Interactions

Save 33% on the Winehog Premium subscription

Time to Subscribe?

Winehog offer - save 33%

€642 year
Two years with full access to Winehog
 
Sign up Now