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TASTING THE WINES OF DOMAINE TRAPET

the wines of domaine trapet

My week in Burgundy started off with a resounding bang. Tasting the wines of Domaine Trapet is an experience to be savoured. I would have appreciated it all the more if I hadn’t gotten lost…an impressive feat considering that the winery is on the main street and I drove straight passed it before turning off to meander along the side streets.

I was received my Madame Trapet (senior). There can be no greater positive publicity than having your mother pour your wines. With quiet pride and great dignity, Madame Trapet related the estate’s history finishing her tale with the feats of her talented son, Jean-Louis, and his equally skilled wife, Andrée.

Domaine Trapet is an 18-hectare estate with impressive vineyard holdings in and around Gevrey-Chambertin; notably five Premier Cru sites, and three of the most sought after Grand Crus: Chapelle-Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, and the mighty Le Chambertin.

Domaine Trapet is an 18-hectare estate with impressive vineyard holdings in and around Gevrey-Chambertin; notably five Premier Cru sites, and three of the most sought after Grand Crus: Chapelle-Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, and the mighty Le Chambertin. 

Seven generations of the Trapet family have tended the estate’s Gevrey-Chambertin vineyards. In the 1920s, the Trapets had amassed one of the largest vineyard holdings on the Côte d’Or, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that the family began bottling their wines. In 1993, the winery – until then known as Domaine Louis Trapet – was divided to allow a new generation to go their separate ways. It was then that the estates of Domaine Rossignol-Trapet and Domaine Trapet Père & Fils emerged.

It was also around this time that Jean-Louis Trapet, now at the helm of Domaine Trapet Père & Fils, decided to farm the estate according to biodynamic principles. Madame Trapet chuckled at this stage of the story, as she explained how the young Jean-Louis, fresh from his viticultural studies, announced the news to his father. “We had no idea what he was talking about” she said. It took some persuading, but Jean-Louis was adamant, and within a few growing seasons, the elder Trapets were convinced.

The vineyards of Domaine Trapet are certified biodynamic. “We are so much more in tune with our vines since making the switch”.

“We are so much more in tune with our vines since making the switch”, explained Madame Trapet. “They are healthier, hardier, and give far more expressive fruit”. The vineyards of Domaine Trapet now hold the Demeter biodynamic certification.

Winemaking practices have also evolved dramatically over the past 25 years. Once known for its heavily extracted, lavishly oaked style, the wines of Domaine Trapet are now the epitome of Burgundian elegance, purity, and finesse. Vinfication techniques depend on the vintage but generally consist of a brief period of cold maceration, followed by fermentation in open top wood fermenters with partial inclusion of stems (30 to 50%). Maceration is long and slow, with delicate extraction via punch-down and then gentle pump-overs in the later stages. Regional and village wines see 20% new French oak over 12 months of ageing, while Premier and Grand Crus are matured  18 – 20 months in 35 – 50% new French oak. Sulphur is added only at bottling, in minute doses.

Our tasting centred around barrel samples of the 2017 vintage. I was treated to another of Madame Trapet’s radiant smiles as she spoke of the 2017 harvest. “It was a summer marked by heat waves, and blessed with beneficial rains late August” she said. 2017 gave a desperately needed bumper crop to the grape growers of Burgundy. After a string of growing seasons ravaged by frost, hail, and wet weather, 2017 was a blessing. ‘The wines are really approachable with ripe, rounded tannins”.

The wines of Domaine Trapet are the epitome of Burgundian elegance, purity, and finesse.

After a brief, enjoyable chat with Jean and then Jean-Louis, we proceeded to taste. My notes below.

Many thanks Madame Trapet for giving so generously of your time. Your exquisite wines could not have been poured for a more appreciative palate!

Marsannay 2017

Bright red currant, red cherry, and black plum aromas on the nose, underpinned by mossy, forest floor notes. Lovely tangy acidity on the medium weight palate, with moderate depth of  juicy red and black berry flavours. Silky tannins frame the fresh, lifted finish. Very approachable.

Gevrey-Chambertin 2017

Wonderfully fragrant, spiced nose, initially showing lots of crushed raspberry, blackberry and cassis fruit. Earthy, cedar notes develop upon aeration. Quite brisk on the palate, medium in body, with a fairly firm structure giving way to surprisingly velvetty tannins and subtle oaked nuances. Hints of wet leaf and black berries linger on the finish.

Gevrey-Chambertin “Ostrea” Vieilles Vignes 2017

Ostrea refers to the oyster shell fossils found in this Gevrey-Chambertin vineyard boasting 60 to 90-year-old vines. Similar in fragrance and freshness to the precedent Gevrey-Chambertin, but fleshier and far weightier overall. Fine depth of tangy red berry and cherry flavours mingle with notes of spice, tobacco, and cedar. Firm, yet ripe tannins and subtle cedar, spice define the finish.

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru “Capita” 2017

The Capita bottling is a blend of three Premier Cru sites: En Combottes, En Ergot, and Les Combottes. Seductive ripe black berry and black cherry aromas , with underlying violet, tobacco and cedar nuances. Really vibrant and dense on the palate, with a highly concentrated core leading on to ripe, chewy tannins. Brisk through out, with a lifted finish featuring tangy fruit and cedar hints.

Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru 2017

This outstanding cru lies in the southern part of Gevrey=Chambertin, on a gentle slope just below the Clos de Bèze. Incredibly elegant, with a delicacy and intense florality that recalls top Chambolle-Musigny. Highly complex on the nose with vibrant red berries, spice, underbrush and cedar underpinning the enticing flowery perfume. It starts quite soft and reticent on the palate but quickly develops an expansive nature that crescendos to a powerful finale with broad, fleshy tannins. Pronounced yet harmonious toasty, vanilla notes from 18 months’ ageing in 50% new French oak frames the lengthy finish.

Le Chambertin Grand Cru 2017

The most famed cru in Gevrey, to which the village paid hommage in 1847 by affixing the word Chambertin to the official town name. Trapet’s 2017 Le Chambertin displays impressive density, concentration and ripeness. The aromatic range seems endless, with red cherry, red plum, crushed raspberry, mocha, exotic spice, tobacco, and gamey nuances all revealing themselves in a well-articulated, harmonious manner. Very firm and weighty on the palate, with brisk acidity, heady fruit and marked, yet fine-grained tannins underscored by finely integrated toasted oak. Incredibly persistent, with lingering hints of leather, tobacco, earth and wet leaf.

Reviews Wines

TOP PICKS – GALLEON WINES TASTING

Wine Bottles

When I tell people that I work in the wine industry, I invariably get a lot amused comments. The general assumption is that the job entails sitting around, drinking all day. Sadly, this is usually not the case. I mean, come on folks, would you pay someone to do that?

Even on those days where wine tasting really is my assigned task, the selection on offer is often a little dreary. Mass produced wines, like any high volume consumer item, generally have little that sets them apart from their competitors. They are often passably good, but rarely great.

Every once in a while, however, I attend a tasting where the wines (from small and large wine producers alike) are really fantastic…and I do just sit around, drinking all day.

I had one such day last week, at the launch of a new agency called Galleon Wines. They are actually more of a sub-agency; the fine wine division of large, national wine company Philippe Dandurand Wines.

Just a quick segue for those of you who don’t know what I mean by wine agency: in Canada, our cherished liquor boards (a.k.a monopolies) are the sole wine importers in the majority of provinces. They are also the sole retailers in most cases. With hundreds of stores, and thousands of wines on offer, a product can easily get lost in the shuffle. A wine agency is there to represent wine producers’ products locally. Their sales force will push for greater distribution in stores, try and get restaurants to purchase and so forth.

Galleon Wines is ably steered by wine expert Denis Marsan (long time SAQ Signatures buyer) and the savvy wine salesman Pierre-Adrien Fleurant. Together with their team, they have hand selected an exciting line up of wines. The accent is definitely on French wine; with a particularly fine range of Burgundies. The common thread for much of the portfolio is freshness, purity of fruit and balance.

The majority of these wines are not available at the SAQ or LCBO, however Galleon is on the verge of launching an e-commerce platform. Consumers will be able to buy directly from the website.

This is still Canada, with all our complicated rules and regulations, so you do unfortunately have to buy cases of 6 or 12 (depending on the wine).  I recommend getting together with like-palated friends to share orders.

Here are my top 11 favourites (because I couldn’t whittle it down to 10)What do VW, PW and LW mean?  Click on my wine scoring system to find out:

Kracher und Sohm Grüner Veltliner 2015 – 92pts. PW (20 – 25$/bttle)

Kracher und Sohm is a brilliant partnership between Alois Kracher, highly acclaimed Austrian vintner, and Aldo Sohm, top New York based sommelier.

Pale straw. Elegant, moderately intense aromas of ripe peach, fresh hay and white flowers. Lively acidity and lovely precision define the light bodied palate. This unoaked white finishes with a subtle saline note and lingering white pepper. Drink now, or hold 3 – 5 years.

Domaine Franck Millet Sancerre Blanc 2015 – 90pts. PW (25 – 30$/bttle)

The 22-hectare estate in the heart of Sancerre has been passed down from father to son for 3 generations. Textbook Sancerre; with a restrained, mineral-driven nose underscored by citrus and hints of gooseberry. Racy acidity, moderate concentration, rounded mid-palate and a lingering, citrus-infused finish.

Domaine Ravaut Bourgogne Blanc 2014 – 91pts. PW (25 – 30$/bttle)

This small, 12 hectare estate is situated in Ladoix-Serrigny, 5 km from Beaune. This well-crafted white Burgundy offers a surprising amount of complexity for such a modest appellation. Pale gold in colour, with attractive lemon curd, white pear, mineral and buttery aromas. Very fresh on the medium weight palate, with a subtly creamy texture and a clean, medium length finish. Unoaked.

Domaine Queylus Chardonnay Tradition 2013 – 89pts. PW (25 – 30$/bttle)

With local star Trevor Bachelder making the wines, the Domaine Queylus is among the better estates in Niagara today. This harmonious white offers good value at under 30$. Intense floral, apricot and ripe pear aromas on the nose. The palate is quite richly textured and fruit-driven, yet balanced by vibrant acidity. The toasty, vanilla nuances from long oak ageing are fairly well integrated. Finishes just a touch short.

Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fèvre Chablis 2015 – 90pts. PW (25 – 30$/bttle)

This sustainably farmed estate can trace its history in the local wine industry back to 1745. Pale straw in colour, the subdued nose offers hints of lemon, lime and chalky minerality. The rasor sharp acidity is nicely offset by vibrant, pure citrus and apple flavours. The texture is smooth, with subtle leesy notes. Attractive minerality comes back to the fore on the long finish.

Château de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc 2014- 94pts. LW (65 – 70$/bttle)

The stunning 18th century manor house is among the most beautiful properties in Burgundy. Pale gold. Very elegant, complex aromas featuring white flowers, fresh almonds, citrus, green apple and underlying minerality. Lively and taut on the palate, with a creamy, textured mid-palate and hint of buttery richness. The oak is subtle and well integrated. Finishes long, with lovely mineral and aniseed notes.

Domaine des Varinelles Saumur Champigny 2014 – 89pts. PW (20 – 25$/bttle)

Domaine des Varinelles is situated in the heart of Saumur, and boasts mainly mature vines ranging in age from 35 to 60 years on average. Youthful, purple colour. Vibrant raspberry, green pepper, and subtle cedar notes on the nose. The palate is fresh, medium bodied and dry, with tart red fruit flavours and ripe, grainy tannins that frame the finish nicely.

Domaine Coillot Marsannay “Les Boivins” 2014 – 91pts. PW (45 – 50$/bttle)

This sustainably farmed estate is commited to keeping yields low to best express the individual terroirs. The “Les Boivins” cuvée is a lovely example. Medium ruby, with pretty floral, red berry and brambly fruit notes on the nose. Fresh acidity is amply balanced by a smooth, velvetty texture and fleshy tannins.  The oak is very subtle and harmonious. Medium length finish.

Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2013 – 94pts. LW (80 – 85$/bttle)

This is a relatively new estate, borne from the mariage of Champenois winemaker Simon Mazzini and Burgundian Florence Heresztyn (descendant of the long established Domaine Heresztyn). This is a big, bold style of Gevrey-Chambertin. The intense, complex nose features earthy, animal notes underscored by just ripe red and black fruits, violets and exotic spice. Fresh on attack, with highly concentrated fruit flavours and prominent coffee and cedar-scented oak. The tannins are ripe and chewy. The finish is very long and nuanced, with intriguing hints of cumin. This dense, tightly woven wine needs a few more years to unwind and harmonize in cellar, but shows enormous potential.

Frescobaldi Lamaione IGT Toscana 2010 – 95pts. LW (125$/magnum)

Frescobaldi’s Lamaione Merlot strikes the perfect balance between power and purity.  Deep ruby. Moderately intense brambly fruit, with underling tobacco and cedar. Very fresh on the palate, nicely counterbalancing the big, brooding structure and ripe, dark fruit flavours. The firm, fine-grained tannins and well integrated cedar oak provide additional complexity. The finish is long, with hints of tobacco and lively mint.

Trapiche Imperfecto 2012 – 90pts. LW (50 – 55$/ bttle)

Youthful, inky purple colour. Very pretty nose featuring violets, ripe black berries and dark chocolate. The palate shows lovely harmony of fresh acidity, velvetty texture, full body and concentrated dark fruit flavours. Rounded tannins and spicy oak define the finish.