We visited Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits.The visit consisted of two parts.
First, Armelle Rion joined us in the bus and took us on a tour of the vineyards of Vosne-Romanée.
Seond, we returned to the domaine, where we did a cellar tour and sat down for a tasting with Armelle Rion.
I already reported about the vineyard tour: Touring the Vineyards of Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Armelle Rion, Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France
This posting covers the cellar visit and tasting.
Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion is a family affair and we also met Bernhard Rion as well as Melissa and Alice Rion and Alice's husband Louis Rion. With the latter two we recently enjoyed a winemaker dinner at the French Embassy in Washington DC, USA. Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion is well represented in the Washington DC area via Elite Wines.
Vosne-Romanée
Clive Coats: Nowhere is wine more noble than in Vosne-Romanée. Between the Nuits-Saint-Georges premier cru of Boudots to the south and the walls of the Clos de Vougeot at the northern end lie the 240 hectares of Vosne-Romanée vineyard: the most valuable piece of vinous real estate in the world.
Appellation Romanée Conti Grand Cru: The Romanée-Conti vineyard dominates the village, with its wines among the most expensive in the world. It is a monopole of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Around 600 cases are made each year from the vineyard's 1.8 ha.
Appellation La Romanée Grand Cru: La Romanée is a monopole of the Château de Vosne-Romanée. Only 300 cases are made each year from this plot of 0.84 ha.
Appellation La Tâche Grand Cru: La Tâche is Domaine de la Romanée Conti's other monopole, and its 6 ha consist of the vineyards of La Tâche and Les Gaudichots.
Appellation Richebourg Grand Cru: The 8 ha of the Richebourg cru are divided between 10 growers, including Domaine Leroy and Domaine de la Romanée Conti.
Appellation La Grande Rue Grand Cru: The least-renowned of the six grands crus is a monopole of Domaine François Lamarche, and was only promoted from premier cru recently. Its 1.4 hectares lie between La Tâche and Romanée-Conti.
Appellation Romanée Saint Viviant Grand Cru: Domaine de la Romanée Conti owns over half of the area's 9.5 ha.
Although unable to command the same prices as their grand cru neighbors, the village is home to many excellent premier cru wines. Fifty-eight hectares of this is premier cru, and there are 11 of these. Five of them lie just above the grands crus, six on the same altitude or a little further down the slope.
Touring the Vineyards of Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Armelle Rion
Before the cellar tour and tasting Armelle Rion joined us in the bus and took us on a tour of the vineyards of Vosne-Romanée. See: Touring the Vineyards of Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Armelle Rion, Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France
Domaine Rion
Domaine Rion is in Vosne Romanée, on the Route National. Domaine Rion was founded in 1880 by Pierre Rion. His son Louis substantially enlarged the domaine. In 1952, the domaine was divided between his 2 sons. The older one, Marcel, stayed in Vosne Romanée. Bernard Rion has helped his father Marcel since 1973 and now manages the Domaine Rion with his wife Armelle and his daughter Alice.
Winemaking Philosophy
Armelle talked a lot about the winemaking philosophy of Domaine Rion, which is summarized on the web site of Domaine Rion:
Fertilizer: Organic fertilizer is used exclusively on the sandy slopes in order to maintain the structure of the soil. On average our vines are over 50 years old and their roots draw their nutrition from deep down in the ground.
Cultivation: The vineyards are ploughed in winter and hoed in the spring. Grass is then left to grow naturally between the rows and a light tractor,(limiting soil compaction), is used to hold it back from invading the vines.
Pruning: A preliminary pruning is carried out in autumn, followed-up by a thorough pruning in March. The canes are burnt to prevent any risk of infection.
Treatments: Curative only. We use rational management methods relying on natural or very specific products. 'Pheronomes' are diffused around the vineyards to provoke sexual confusion in certain insects eliminating the need to use insecticides.
Grape Harvest: Picking is manual, de-stemming is very gentle and there is no crushing.
Fermentation: Natural fermentation is long, lasting from 2 to 3 weeks. The cap is punched manually and a stainless steel pneumatic press presses out at low pressure (2kg/cm2), ensuring fine lees on which the wine will mature for 18 months removing the need for filtration. New oak and oak barrels under 5 years old are used for the maturing process.
Bottling: Bottling takes place on the estate with the assistance of a specialized bottling company. New bottles are sterilized and the wine introduced under air-tight conditions. Top quality corks from Portugal are then used.
Conclusion: As one can see from the above description, every effort goes into producing wines to lie down which will develop and be enhanced over the decades provided they are laid down in a cellar maintained at a constant temperature.
Tasting
We tasted 7 wines.
Armelle Rion: These balanced and complete wines are traditionally vinified. Totally de-stemmed, with a long vinification (2 to 3 weeks in open vats), and they are then aged for 18 months (half in new oak barrels). They are pleasant and fruity for the young vintages, but well-structured enough to ensure good ageing.
2016 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Sous La Velle Meusault Blanc Euro 48
2014 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Cuvée Dame Marguerite Nuits Saint Georges Euro 34
Elite Wines: This blend comes from little plots in the north of A.O.C Nuits – Saint - Georges all located in the border of the A.O.C Vosne - Romanée. For this field, and in all the exploitation, the Domaine Rion makes a sustainable and rational agriculture, by working the soil without insecticides. Marguerite Rion worked all her life in the vineyard of the familial domain with her husband Louis Rion. In its first years, the cuvée Dame Marguerite is really round with a multitude of red and black fruits. With ageing, you will taste forest aromas.
2014 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Les Murgers 1er Cru Nuits Saint Georges Euro 48
Elite Wines: Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru « Les Murgers » is a powerful, rich and complex wine. The mouth is very round with a velvet finish. When young, you will find many red berry fruit flavors and after few years of maturity, the flavors will change to earthy, forest and mushrooms. It will match well with red meats, grilled or in sauce, game and lamb.
2016 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Bernard Héritage Euro 48
2016 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes Euro 55
Elite Wines: An elegant wine, its mellowness is dominant, sustained by subtle tannins. Fleshy, very aromatic, with perfume of cherry, strawberry, and underbrush. Excellent pairing with roasted red meats and all the fine cheeses. You can age it for 5 years or more, and you should serve it in carafe.
2013 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Elite Wines: Harmonious and elegant, this wine has a deep red color. You may get some red fruit aromas (cherry, black currant) in its youth and with age you will find some bark, tobacco, earthy taste. This wine is perfect with duck, roasted or in sauce and with fine cheese like Reblochon, Comté, Brillat-Savarin.
2000 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Gruenchers
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