Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Les Champeaux’ 2020

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

“Arnaud Mortet is making better wines than ever… As in the previous three vintages, I am deeply impressed by the potential of Mortet’s wines. There is a brightness and sense of energy in nearly every cuvée, demonstrating clever use of both whole bunch and new oak that allows each vineyard to express its own character. 2017 is another exemplary set from what is fast becoming one of the appellation’s most respected winemakers.” Neal Martin, Vinous 

“The wines are undeniably lovely, with the flesh and charm to drink well in their youth but the concentration and satiny structure to age. They’re also impressively consistent. If Mortet can sustain the viticultural attention to detail that was his father’s calling card across the entire breadth of his growing palette of appellations, then this domaine’s position among the greats of the Côte de Nuits will be assured.” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

About Domaine Denis Mortet

Charles Mortet set up his estate in 1956 with a single hectare of vines. True to the tradition in Burgundy, he sold most of his production to merchant houses. In 1978 Denis joined his father, along with his wife Laurence. They were respectively 22 and 20 years old at the time. As Laurence’s family were farmers, she quickly took to working in the vineyard to her great satisfaction. Little by little, Denis developed bottled wine sales.

He succeeded his father in 1993 and created Domaine Denis Mortet. At the time it represented some 4.5 hectares within the districts of Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot – but this was just the start to the establishment’s vineyard. In 1993 the company acquired the parcels of the Premier Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques in Gevrey-Chambertin, as well as vineyard plots in Motrot, in Vellé, in Champs, and La Côte des Longeroies in Marsannay. In 1997 it purchased the district area, La Combe du Dessus. This was followed in 1999 by the acquisition of the vineyard of Chambertin Grand Cru. And of Premier Cru parcels and the Derée locality in 2000. At present, the estate comprises 11.2 hectares. In 2000 Denis’ son, Arnaud entered the company. He and his mother have been in charge since 2005.

A man of the vineyards, Arnaud’s “knack”, as critic David Schildknecht recently put it, is to be driven to produce perfect Pinot fruit from meticulously tended vineyards. He is without question one of the finest growers of the entire Côte (many of his colleagues acknowledge as much) and as great wines are the products of great fruit, it is no coincidence that he is producing some of the finest wines in Burgundy today. There is no doubt that the wines are more refined than those produced while his father was alive, yet they share the same intensity and potential longevity.

Arnaud is continuing Denis’ dream of producing more refined wines: openly getting closer stylistically to the wines of his uncle, Charles Rousseau, without sacrificing depth and intensity or consistency across the range (which Rousseau has often lacked). Denis was already “backing off” the extraction in the pursuit of greater elegance but Arnaud is taking this even further, not only via shorter and gentler macerations, but also by reducing the percentage of new oak used. At the same time the vineyard work chez Mortet is at the very highest level. Horse is now used to plough all 1er and Grand Cru vineyards (in order to minimise soil compaction) and organic/biodynamic practice is now being trialed in these sites. Machines are no longer used in any sites and all the work, including spraying copper/sulphur which is done via backpack.

The yields remain very low (much lower than Rousseau for example) and, according to my understanding, the fruit selection (triage) is also much more severe. Lower yields and stricter triage will always result in richer, more intense wines, at least when the wines are young.

Mortet’s vineyards are things of beauty. Every vine is tended by hand and leaves are removed if damaged in any way. The Allen Meadows notes above comments on the renown that Arnaud Mortet enjoys amongst his peers for his vineyard work. Everyone who knows Arnaud is well aware that he is a perfectionist by nature and that he is driven by the desire to honour his father’s legacy. He has made a wonderful start. The continued evolution of Domaine Denis Mortet is certainly going to be very exciting to watch (and taste!)

The 2020 Vintage at Denis Mortet

The highly talented Arnaud Mortet, who now manages 16 ha of vines, noted that the 2020 “growing season wasn’t too difficult to manage as it was so hot and dry that there really wasn’t much disease pressure. There was a bit of hydric stress but overall, all the work we have done in the vines over the years really pays off in vintages like 2020 as the root systems are sufficiently developed such that the vines can find enough nourishment and water.

I chose to begin picking on the 25th of August and brought in all 16 ha in only seven days. The bad news was that despite the fruit being essentially as clean as could be, there wasn’t much of it as there was just no juice in the berries. So even though there was basically no sorting necessary, yields averaged only 25 hl/ha. Potential alcohols were perfectly good but not really high as they averaged right at 13%, which is lower than the 13.2 to 13.8% in obtained in 2019. I used between 50 and 70% whole clusters while again vinifying softly as the skins were very thick. I like the style of the 2020s quite a bit because even though they’re riper than normal, they’re also really fresh, energetic and concentrated.”

As the ratings and reviews confirm, Mortet fashioned some seriously great wines in 2020 and they’re very much worth your interest.

Where in the World are They?

Denis Mortet now run by son Arnaud have plantings throughout the Côte de Nuits. The 1er Cru Les Champeaux is located in the Village Gevrey-Chambertin.