Domaine Thénard Recommits To Offering Outstanding, Delicious Bourgogne Wines – Dave’s Wine Cellar
The domaine’s focus on quality begins first and foremost in the vines.
“We no longer use chemical herbicides and pesticides on the the vines,” André notes. “And we only use fungicides in lutte raisonnée, that is, when absolutely needed to protect the fruit.”
During harvest, the domaine works with up to 40 pickers from not only France, but also Italy, England, New Zealand and elsewhere. It is crucial that they select grapes which, according to André, create the opportunity for the desired style of wines.
“Selection of the grapes is the most important task,” André says. “It sounds easy, but it’s not.”
“We do not try for wines with huge tannins,” he adds. “We want tasty wines with delicacy, purity and elegance. We want our drinkers to feel the terroir of these beautiful vineyards in the glass.”
In the damp wine cellar dating to the 18th century, André and his team rely on open top fermentation for the red wines. Indigenous yeasts on the grape skins guide the fermentation rather than commercial yeasts that can mask the grapes’ natural traits.
Twice each day as the fermentation unfolds over two weeks, the team follows tradition by using their feet to punch down the hard cap on top of the grapes. This helps ensure the development of proper red color, aromas and flavors without imparting harsh tannins.
After fermentation, André “decants” the new wine by siphoning it off the lees, i.e., the spent yeast cells. But, he says, it is critical to include a selection of lees with the new wines as they age in wood before bottling. For the aging, the domaine uses a combination of oak barrels and large wooden casks known as foudres.
“After we put the new wines with selected lees to age in wood, we don’t touch the wine for up to two years before bottling,” he notes. “This allows the wine to stabilize properly and allows better structure for longer aging in the bottle.”
After recently tasting the 2022 red wines in the cellar with André, rest assured the domaine is achieving great results. We ended up tasting two white wines.
The 2022 Domaine Baron Thénard Givry Blanc offers engaging white peach aromas opening to fresh, vibrant flavors, medium body, and a dry finish.
The 2019 Domaine Baron Thénard Le Montrachet Grand Cru ($773 at winesearcher.com ) has a deep golden color and aromas of grilled nuts, freshly baked brioche and ripe apricots opening to rich flavors of peaches and apricots with superb freshness. The opulent, fruity and dry finish lingers beautifully.
For red wines from Givry, try the following currently available in the U.S. They offer superior value.
The 2020 Domaine Baron Thénard Givry “Clos du Cellier aux Moines” 1er Cru ($38 at winesearcher.com) has a lovely deep burgundy color and aromas of black cherries and a touch of spiciness. On the palate, delicious blackberry and black cherries flavors mix with a hint of earthiness. It finishes with fine, supple tannins and excellent freshness.
The 2020 Domaine Baron Thénard Givry “Clos Saint-Pierre Monopole” 1er Cru ($49 at winesearcher.com) is similar in aromas and delicious flavors, but the tannins are more structured. This wine will benefit from additional cellar aging of several years.
Cheers!
