2012 Domaine Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

Domaine Francois Bertheau is a 15-acre estate in Chambolle-Musigny, Burgundy. Francois Bertheau is now in charge of this estate, which has been in the Bertheau family for five generations. The estate produces Bonnes-Mares and Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru. There is also a village Chambolle-Musigny. Up to 15,000 bottles are produced a year. Noted Burgundy expert Clive Coates has written that Francois Bertheau “is a careful winemaker and the results are succulent, elegant and classic examples of Chambolle-Musigny….This is an address that deserves greater recognition.”

Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d’Or and it includes the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They are Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.