Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux

DOMAINE ARNOUX-LACHAUX 2018 VINTAGE, EN PRIMEUR

EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UK

“Never have we worked so hard, never had so much fun.”

CHARLES LACHAUX, on the 2018 vintage

INTRODUCTION During a recent visit to the domaine, Florence Lachaux jokingly said of her son Charles, “I don’t know where he gets his energy from!”

I think we were talking about his travel itinerary, but it could just as well have been his painstaking vineyard overhaul, the new label designs, his newfound enthusiasm for Roberto Conterno’s Sensory wine glasses… or any number of things really.

Having worked with Charles for three years, we now have a pretty good idea of the impressive energy driving this domaine onwards and upwards. It is paying off too – there is no shortage of critical acclaim when compiling quotes for this annual release.

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His winemaking peer group seems genuinely fond of him, which speaks volumes. And a little stardust from his mentor Lalou Bize-Leroy does not hurt either…

The 2018 vintage sees a new label, designed by Charles’ wife, Louise Lachaux-Voarick. This has been inspired by the domaine’s historical labels and is a reassuring nod to the past, in the midst of so much innovation.

Also updated for the 2018 vintage are three of the cuvée names. Two lieu-dit names have been added: Clos de Vougeot Quartier de Marei Haut (opposite Grands Échézeaux) and Échézeaux Les Rouges (for Les Rouges du Bas). Finally, Les Grands Suchots rather than plain old Les Suchots, which has been allowed on the basis that it was used historically and refers to a distinctive part of the vineyard.

GUY SEDDON March 2020

GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI

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HISTORY The domaine was founded in 1858.

Robert Arnoux, Charles’ grandfather, was born in 1931 and took over upon his father’s death in 1957.

Robert Arnoux and his wife Clotilde Truchetet really established the framework of the domaine, introducing estate-bottling and expanding the estate. In 1984, they acquired the 0.35 hectare plot of Romanée-Saint-Vivant.

Charles’ parents Florence Arnoux and Pascal Lachaux married in 1987. Pascal worked with his father-in-law until Robert’s death in 1995. Pascal and Florence extended the cellars and built a new winery in 2005.

In 2008, the 0.53 hectare holding of Latricières-Chambertin was acquired and the domaine’s name was changed from Domaine Robert Arnoux to Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux.

2007 was the first vintage bottled under the new name.

Following Pascal’s departure in 2019, the domaine is now run by Florence and Charles, the fifth and sixth generations respectively.

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VINEYARD HOLDINGS Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux owns 14.5 hectares of Pinot Noir, spanning six villages and 15 terroirs. Four grands crus, five premiers crus, five villages wines and the wonderful Bourgogne ‘Pinot Fin’.

POUR ACCEPTATION CARTE:Mise en page 1

21/01/16

11:47

Page 1

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VOSNE-ROMANÉE 1ER CRU AUX REIGNOTS

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES LES POISETS

VOSNE-ROMANÉE 1ER CRU LES CHAUMES

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1ER CRU LES PROCÈS

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1ER CRU CLOS DES CORVÉES PAGETS

Ca Cuv Bur Dégus

BOURGOGNE ‘PINOT FIN’

BOURGOGNE ‘PINOT FIN’ NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES

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GRANDS CRUS Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Quartier de Marei Haut Échézeaux Les Rouges Grand Cru Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru

HOLDINGS IN HECTARES (ha) 0.45 ha 0.80 ha 0.35 ha, acquired 1984 0.53 ha, acquired 2008

PREMIERS CRUS Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Procès Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Corvées Pagets Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Grands Suchots Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots

0.70 ha 0.55 ha 0.74 ha 0.43 ha 0.20 ha

VILLAGES Nuits-Saint-Georges Villages Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Poisets Vosne-Romanée Villages Vosne-Romanée Hautes Maizières Chambolle-Musigny Villages

1.42 ha 0.70ha 0.57 ha 0.60 ha 1.62 ha

BOURGOGNE Bourgogne Pinot Fin

9 VOSNE-ROMANÉE 1ER CRU LES GRANDS SUCHOTS

LATRICIÈRES-CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU

ÉCHÉZEAUX LES ROUGES GRAND CRU CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY

Gevrey-Chambertin

ave verie reau station

ROMANÉE-SAINT-VIVANT GRAND CRU VOSNE-ROMANÉE

VOSNE-ROMANÉE LES HAUTES MAIZIÈRES

CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU QUARTIER DE MAREI HAUT

BOURGOGNE ‘PINOT FIN’

Reproduced with thanks to Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux

VITICULTURE In 2018, over a third of the vineyards were ‘arched’, rather than being trimmed with shears as in the other holdings. This involves training the untrimmed vines much higher and bending them into an arch.

After tasting the domaine’s 2018s, Jasper Morris wrote, “I found I could distinguish which was which by the depth of colour, which was then reproduced by the intensity of the fruit content as well.”

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Charles Lachaux is in good company here. Two illustrious neighbours in Vosne-Romanée using this approach are Lalou Bize-Leroy (Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay) and Jean-Yves Bizot (Domaine Bizot). As Neal Martin mentions above, Madame Bize-Leroy has become something of a mentor to Charles.

For the diminishing number of vines that are still trimmed, this now happens very late and is very much a trim rather than a ‘proper haircut’. Shoots are allowed to grow to 1.8 metres (the norm elsewhere being around 1.1m).

The logic here is that the growth below ground (of the roots) is linked to that above ground (of the shoots). If you trim the shoots too vigorously, you curtail the root growth, which in turn deprives the vine of nutrients.

The higher leaf-to-fruit ratio allows grapes to reach phenolic maturity quicker, meaning harvest happens 7-10 days earlier than previously. It also results in lower alcohol levels: in 2018, these ranged from 12.5% to 13.2% abv - well below that found elsewhere. A third outcome is smaller

berries, with thicker skins, requiring only light tannin extraction in the cellar.

Another example of the hugely labour-intensive vineyard work is curetage, manually cutting out dead or infected wood from vines, using small electric saws. This is vastly preferable to uprooting the old vines and replanting, as the rates of recovery are good and the average vine age remains high. A new vine training system has also been adopted which results in fewer pruning wounds, the principal cause of wood infection.

Charles follows both organics and biodynamics. Organic certification is pending but there are no plans to state this on the label. He is rightly sceptical about the use of both copper and sulphur (which are permitted by organics) and the effects that they have on the long-term life of the soil.

Biodynamics is also respected, with vineyard and cellar work aligned with lunar phases where possible.

A small parcel of Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots is being replanted, at a density of 20,000 vines per hectare, twice the current average at the domaine. In common with his friend Olivier Lamy (Domaine Hubert Lamy) and other respected growers, Charles is convinced by the superior quality of grapes from high density vineyards, so expect more in years to come...

“Charles Lachaux has been making waves since taking over the re-named Domaine from his father and radically altering the modus operandi to create wines inspired by the tenets of Lalou Bize-Leroy, who took Lachaux under her wing.”

NEAL MARTIN, Vinous

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CELLAR In with whole bunches, out with new oak…

Whole cluster fermentation – in which grapes are left undestemmed and are pressed as bunches – continues to be on the rise here, since its first appearance in 2012. The 2018 vintage is almost at Charles’ desired level of 100%.

Two parcels in the Prémeaux area were hit by hail in 2018, meaning Charles exercised caution and destemmed a proportion of the fruit.

The longer-shooted vines result in higher potassium levels and therefore slightly lower acidity in the finished wines.

However, Charles rightly comments that this has no impact on the sensation of freshness in the finished wines.

The 2018s fermented quickly, vinification taking 9-11 days.

The wines are then transferred from cuve to 228 litre barrels. New oak use is very restrained: in 2018, the grands crus saw an average of 30% new oak, premiers crus 15-20% and villages wines 10-12%.

Extraction consists of a combination of foot-treading, punching-down and pumping-over. There is no filtration.

Since the 2010 vintage, long 54mm corks have been used, which require an especially long bottle-neck.

Sulphur dioxide is used very sparingly, after malolactic fermentation and again before bottling.

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THE 2018 VINTAGE IN NUMBERS In 2018, over 1/3 of the 14.5 hectare vineyard was ‘arched’ rather than trimmed. To achieve this, 30,000 new, higher posts have been installed and the trellis wires raised.

The domaine has made huge investments over the past year, focussed on the vineyard and including:

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• • •

3 ultra-light tractors to limit soil compaction a second spraying system 28 vineyard workers during May, June and July rd

Picking began on 3 September.

Yields were low: 28-30hl/ha for the villages wines and 1323hl/ha for the premiers crus and grands crus.

Alcohol levels are low thanks to the new viticultural practices (see page 10), ranging from 12.5% to 13.2% abv.

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TASTING NOTES

BOURGOGNE ‘PINOT FIN’

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY

This is a blend of seven plots. Approximately half is from Chambolle-Musigny and a quarter from each of VosneRomanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. The label ‘Pinot Fin’ underlines the old vines and gratifyingly concentrated fruit here. This combines fresh drinkability with rose petal aromas, sappy raspberry fruit and sweet spices.

Excellent wine, which should really be seen as villagelevel rather than a regional Bourgogne. 100% whole bunch fermentation. The yield was 34hl/ha in 2018, which was lower than in 2017. 38 barrels have been made.

Five plots provide fruit for this wine, totalling 1.62 hectares, grouped at the very top of the Chambolle slope, near the limestone cliffs. These parcels all face north/ north-east, resulting in a cool, fresh, acidity-driven style. 100% whole bunch fermentation, which adds tealeaf spice to the Chambolle violets and rose petals. The palate is finely defined, intricate tannins making for a very pretty style which, as with all Charles’ villages wines, really punches above its weight. Very impressive.

Corney & Barrow Score 17 Recommended drinking from 2021 - 2025

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2028 £390/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£190/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES

VOSNE-ROMANÉE

This comes from 1.42 hectares of vines, spread across seven lieux-dits in the north of Nuits-Saint-Georges, starting just beyond the town and approaching the boundary with Vosne-Romanée. The 100% whole bunch fermentation comes through as exotic spice and vivacious pepperiness, this year more than ever. This has the dark savoury spice of Nuits-Saint-Georges, with a really attractive red-berried pliancy. Supple tannins suggest it will drink relatively early too.

This originates from two villages plots in Vosne-Romanée – Aux Saules and Aux Communes – which both run in long strips from the village down to the road. The total surface area is 0.57 hectares. 100% whole bunch fermentation makes for a wonderfully perfumed nose, with gorgeous aromas of crushed roses and cranberry. The palate is nicely proportioned, with a sappy weight, shot through with a saline seam, tapering to a pleasingly long finish.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2027

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2028 £390/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£285/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

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NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES LES POISETS Poisets lies between the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges and Prémeaux-Prissey. The domaine has 0.7 hectares here. Prémeaux was hit by hail in 2018, meaning Charles has been highly selective here and has made only five barrels, from yields of 14hl/ha. Pretty red berry perfume on the nose, with dark peppery detailing. The palate has concentrated forest fruits and quite powerful, mineralcharged tannins, brine and crème de mûre persisting on the long finish. 50% whole bunch fermentation.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2034 £420/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1ER CRU LES PROCÈS

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The domaine’s 0.70 hectares of Procès overlook the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Unlike Poisets, this plot was not hailed fortunately, allowing Charles to use 100% whole bunch fermentation. This combines soaring rose petal perfume, darker berry fruit and peppery spice, with some exotic tea-leaf lift. The palate is sleekly proportioned, with violet and liquorice, very true to Nuits-Saint-Georges type, with raspberry fruit behind and lovely Vosne-like perfume persisting on the long, tapering finish.

Corney & Barrow Score 17 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2034 £550/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES 1ER CRU CLOS DES CORVÉES PAGETS This 0.55 hectare plot of over 70 year old vines is the domaine’s southernmost holding, situated within the Clos des Corvées, in Prémeaux-Prissey. 50% whole bunch fermentation, with 70% of the grapes here having been lost to hail, which rather devastatingly hit this plot three times. Hail notwithstanding, it was a stand-out both times we tasted it, which just goes to show what can be achieved with care and skill. Deeply, darkly fruited, with bitter cherries and sweeter forest fruits. Drivingly forceful, vibrating with energy. Only four and a half barrels have been made – buy it while you can!

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2032 £685/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

VOSNE-ROMANÉE LES HAUTES MAIZIÈRES Hautes Maizières lies down-slope from Échézeaux. The domaine’s holding is a 0.6 hectare plot, just south of the Clos de Vougeot. This vineyard’s iron-rich soil gives, in Charles’ words, “more tenderness and less power”.

Spicier and more peppery than the Vosne village, the 100% whole bunch fermentation coming through as a very pronounced exotic spice. The palate has a very fresh seam of minerality and citrus rind, finishing saline and precise.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2032 £460/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

VOSNE-ROMANÉE 1ER CRU LES CHAUMES The domaine has under a hectare in Chaumes, a vineyard with predominantly clay soils, just below Malconsorts and a stone’s throw from La Tâche. Here we are back with a vengeance to the Vosne perfume – soaringly pretty rose petals. The palate is luminous and beautifully immediate, almost candied in its raspberry and strawberryfruited richness, with a mouth-watering salinity. This showcases the very best of Chaumes. 100% whole bunch fermentation.

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2035 £640/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

VOSNE-ROMANÉE 1ER CRU LES GRANDS SUCHOTS Charles has chosen to revert to the domaine’s historical name for this wine, which has been permitted on the basis that it comes from a distinctive, flatter section, at the very top of the vineyard, bordering Les Beaux-Monts.

This is a 0.43 hectare plot, with over 95 year-old vines.

Intense ruby colour and disarmingly pretty on the nose, with delicate rose petals and dried herbs – lavender and violet. The palate is both deeply concentrated and light on its feet, red berries and violets, then sea salt and dark peppery spice. 100% whole bunch vinification. The yield was just 20hl/ha, meaning only six barrels have been made.

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 - 19 Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2036+ £1,785/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

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CLOS DE VOUGEOT GRAND CRU QUARTIER DE MAREI HAUT

ÉCHÉZEAUX GRAND CRU LES ROUGES

The domaine has a half-hectare holding in the Quartier de Marei Haut, a lieu-dit which has been included in the wine’s name from this year. This lies at the top end of the Clos de Vougeot, opposite Grands Échézeaux.

Expansively, sweetly red-fruited on the nose, with that trademark tea-leaf spice. The palate is strikingly virile, a luscious fruit-coating to the powerful tannins making for a wonderfully approachable Clos de Vougeot. So much energy, brimming with life, yet very sensitively done.

100% whole bunch fermentation.

Another new cuvée name for 2018, reflecting that the majority of the grapes for this wine come from the heart of Les Échézeaux, in Les Rouges du Bas. The domaine has recovered some of its holdings here, meaning Charles has almost one hectare, spread over two parcels. This has long been one of the jewels of Arnoux-Lachaux. Deep purple colour. Joyously pretty on the nose – choose your superlative! The palate is ethereal, super-fine tannins channelling the silky violet and rose petal flavours into a long, fine finish. 100% whole bunch vinification.

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037+

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037+

£1,350/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£1,620/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

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ROMANÉE-SAINT-VIVANT GRAND CRU

LATRICIÈRES-CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU

This 0.35 hectare plot was acquired in 1984 by Charles’ grandparents. It lies beside La Grande Rue, planted with nearly century-old vines. There is a Suchots-like aromatic prettiness here – ravishing roses and lavender – with additional volume and a supple, insistent density to the palate. Charles agreed, also describing RSV as “more cerebral”. Certainly there is a lot to stimulate the mind here but to me, this is a wine of the heart, a seductress.

Phenomenal. 100% whole bunch vinification. The yield was 21hl/ha in 2018, resulting in just three and a half barrels.

The domaine acquired its 0.53 hectare plot of Latricières in 2008. Situated to the north, in Gevrey-Chambertin, this is an outpost of the domaine’s holdings. Darkerfruited and with that measured precision of this coolest of the Gevrey grands crus. Quite tightly wound at this early stage, slowly revealing a tender, dark-berried mid-palate of impressive depth, then a saline seam and ferrous minerality. Once up to speed, it really vibrates with energy. 25% new oak and 100% whole bunch fermentation. A very low yield of 18hl/ha, as Charles pruned the vines severely after the 2017 frost.

Corney & Barrow Score 19 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037+

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 - 19 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2037

£3,750/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£1,870/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

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Tasting Guide Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection.

Wines are scored out of 20. Customers seem to like it and it has the benefit of simplicity. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score.

Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine.

A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.

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