Chandon de Briailles, Savigny les Beaune, rouge, 2004

Day 1: Sour cherry fruit on the nose, very sour. Tannic and hard in the mouth. Very firm.

Day 2: A bit softer, but still firm and tannic in the mouth. Sour fruit in the mouth.

I have tasted many older bottles from Chandon de Briailles and I admire how they slowly develop into beautiful wines. Those experiences encouraged me to dig deep and find a hidden charm in the 2004 Savigny les Beaune rouge from this historic domaine. The wine's appeal is not on the surface, but in the understanding of how it is made. Chandon de Briailles is one of the few estates in Bourgogne practicing traditional winemaking and one of the essential elements of this style is the inclusion of a large portion of the stems. Many winemakers today destem 100% in order to produce wines that are soft and fragrant from day one, but these wines can seem rather simple 10-15 years down the road. The wines from Chandon often show hard tannins out of the gate, but develop a beautiful sweetness after a decade or so in the bottle.

Does this mean that the 2004 Savigny will come around and be really enjoyable in the future? Maybe, but I think the wine will always show some bitterness due to the vintage. Traditional winemaking has its disavantages, one of which is the so called 'off vintages.' In years when the weather is less then ideal, the inclusion of stems can render the wine tough and astringent in its youth. Drinking this bottle felt like a trip back in time. A more modern style winemaker might have achieved a wine with a riper palate, but would that wine be as interesting at 15-20 years of age? The wines from this domaine are usually not delicious at the start, but they are true treasures when mature. 21st century wines in a 19th century style.