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Domaine Thierry Mortet, “Les Charmes de Daix” Bourgogne Rouge

Other, United States 2016 (750mL)
$29.00
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Domaine Thierry Mortet, “Les Charmes de Daix” Bourgogne Rouge

Our value-priced red Burgundies have hit successive home runs this year, and here’s another heavy-hitting surname for your table: Mortet. For over a quarter century, Thierry Mortet (the younger brother of the late Denis Mortet) has expertly crafted organically farmed, small-parcel Burgundy that has never once let us down. Located a short drive north of his winery in Gevrey-Chambertin, choice parcels in the tiny village of Daix delivered a stunning 2016 that shows effortless lift, soil character, and ultra-pure fruits.
So how does he pack all this panache into a bottle of Burgundy at such a low price? By uncovering high-quality vines that his neighbors wouldn’t know about. It requires heaps of knowledge, traveling, and patience, but with a name like Mortet, you know it’s all there in spades. That said, Thierry found a goldmine in the small commune of Daix, which is nearing the northernmost limits of Burgundy. Here, he farms just one hectare of vines to produce this vibrant Bourgogne Rouge, aptly named “Les Charmes de Daix.” His mantra? To consistently deliver a finessed, terroir-centric Pinot Noir beaming with energy at a rock-bottom price. Although the overall production of this cuvée is always low, we secured just enough to share with you today. It’s top-quality red Burgundy at a price that doesn’t get much lower in this noble region. Come one, come all!
Domaine Thierry Mortet was formed nearly three decades ago following the retirement of his father, whose eight-hectare estate in Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Charles Mortet & Fils, was dissolved and the land was divvied up between Thierry and his older brother, Denis. Currently, Thierry, who studied enology and viticulture in nearby Beaune, manages seven total hectares throughout the villages of Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Couchey, and Daix. While the wines of the late, legendary Denis Mortet continue to garner worldwide acclaim and are considered to be some of Gevrey’s finest, Thierry, too, holds his own—especially in the value-per-dollar department. This Bourgogne bottling is among the best out there, plain and simple.

For “ Les Charmes de Daix,” Thierry leases six tiny parcels totaling just over one hectare within the commune of Daix. This type of lease is called en fermage, a long agreement (nine years minimum) that comes with the right of automatic renewal if desired—extremely common throughout France. In the vineyard, Thierry has been Certified Organic for quite some time and is currently transitioning to biodynamic viticulture. His small crew constantly plows the soils and manually tends to the vines, be it for de-budding, pruning, or leaf stripping. The soils here are a rocky mixture of clay and limestone and vines are as old as 40 years. 

All grapes are hand-harvested at yields that come in well below the appellation limit and grapes are twice sorted—once in the vineyard and again in the winery. The clusters are 100% destemmed and see a steady pigeage (‘punching-down’ of the cap of grape skins) regimen during a natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel vats. Maturation begins in these tanks for four months before the wine is transferred into French barrels (that have been used 1-3 times) for one year.  

I cannot recall a more enjoyable bottle of Thierry Mortet’s Bourgogne. Revealing a playful light ruby-pink color, this 2016 is a wealth of energy, terroir, and vivid red fruits. Dipping your nose in the glass immediately rewards you with lip-smacking redcurrant, red cherries, crushed pomegranate seed, orange zest, wild raspberry, rose petals, flower stem, turned earth, and a light touch of baking spice. And it is already so accessible—one of the many things to love about the 2016 vintage. It is both juicy and perfumed, tastes both refreshing and structured, and finishes smooth with a terroir imprint; just a perfect example of blue-chip Bourgogne Rouge. I recommend consuming this in large Burgundy stems around 60 degrees and depleting your stock over the next five years. Show it a brief 15-30 minute decant prior to pairing it alongside a stress-free take on roasted chicken and mushrooms in a red wine sauce. Cheers!
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Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesVillage of Daix
Soil
Clay & Limestone
Farming
Certified Organic
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
Mostly Neutral French
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2023
Decanting
15-30 Minutes
Pairing
Roast Chicken w/ Mushrooms

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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