Chalonnaise choice: Curtis recommends six delicious Givry wines to try
1 Clos Salomon, Givry 1er Cru La Grande Berge 2020 91
£29 The Wine Society
Given the heat of the 2020 vintage, there is some amazingly fresh, lemony fruit in this charming example of Givry blanc. The texture is lively and bright, with acidity and a balanced elegance on the palate.
The wine does not come from the eponymous clos vineyard but rather from 0.41ha recently purchased in La Grande Berge, the premier cru south of the village in the hamlet known as Poncey. Perfect for drinking now, this will also improve during mid-term ageing. Drink 2022-2035 Alcohol 13.5%
2 Domaine du Cellier aux Moines, Givry 1er Cru Clos du Cellier Aux Moines 2019 95
£43.33-£47.25 Haynes Hanson & Clark, Millésima The finest Givry I have tasted from this vintage, sporting a dense plum and black cherry fruit, a suggestion of lavender and wild herbs, and a bit of liquorice and oak spice. The texture is rich and full-bodied with impressive substance and length. This wine should age seamlessly for 20 years at least. It was produced from 5ha of south-facing vines at mid-slope with clay soil and limestone pebbles. An impressive, complex wine that will only improve with age. Drink 2025-2045 Alc 14.5%
Baron Thenard, Givry 1er Cru Clos St-Pierre 2020 93
+33 (0)3 85 44 31 36
This wine is perhaps the most emblematic Givry wine from Thenard. Ripe mulberry fruit is accented with notes of earth, Havana cigar and smoke. The texture is super-dense, and there is plenty of tannin, but there is fresh acidity to balance all tof his concentration. Clos St-Peter is – of course – next to Clos St-Paul, positioned reasonably high up on the slope, and it is a 2ha monopole of Domaine Thenard. An excellent introduction to the appellation. Drink 2025-2040 Alc 13%
Domaine Ragot, Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus 2020 93
£32.50 Christopher Keiller, Montrachet Fine Wine Mulberry and blackcurrant fruit is complemented by graphite, smoke and spice notes. The minerality stems from a high percentage of iron in the soil. Firmness and structure comes through on the palate as grippy tannins and a satisfyingly long finish. Ragot has a hectare of east-facing vines in Clos Jus. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak before fermentation and ageing in cask (40% new) for a year. The result is well balanced, full of fruit, and should age well. Drink 2025-2040 Alc 14%
Domaine Desvignes, Givry 1er Cru Clos du Vernoy 2020 92
domainedesvignes.fr
This lovely wine shows a beguiling, violetscented black cherry fruit with hints of spice and earth on the nose and a beautiful silky density on the palate. It is produced by Gautier Desvignes, one of the rising stars of the appellation, with grapes from the producer’s 0.7ha monopole near the winery. Accessible young, this should age effortlessly for 10-15 years. Drink 2022-2037 Alc 14%
3 Domaine Joblot, Givry 1er Cru Clos Marole 2019 92
£27 The Big Red Wine Co
Concentrated plum and fig notes with an edge of tar, smoke and spice make an initial impression and carry on to the palate, where the freshness of this vintage is much more pronounced. The grapes come from old vines in this east-facing premier cru. They are destemmed and fermented in a closed horizontal tank, accentuating the colour and concentration of tannins. Ageing is in 35%-45% new barrels, mainly from François Frères. With time, this muscular wine should open well and age for at least 20 years. Drink 2025-2040 Alc 14%