Albert Morot : Beaune 1er cru "Les Aigrots" 2022

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Beaune 1er cru "Les Aigrots" 2022 Albert Morot

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a brilliant ruby-red color of medium to deep intensity, reflecting the balanced maturity of the vintage and the tannic structure characteristic of the terroir.

Nose

The nose reveals aromas of fresh red and black fruits, notably cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant, accompanied by subtle floral notes of violet and gentle spice notes of cedar derived from aging in oak barrels. The aromatic expression favors precision and clarity rather than opulent intensity, reflecting the mineral character of the terroir.

Palate

The palate reveals a clean and silky structure, with fine successive waves of flavor that reflect the mineral expression of the terroir. The tannins stand out for their remarkable finesse and silky texture, providing structural definition without aggressive astringency. The mid-palate demonstrates notable concentration and complexity, with vibrant red fruits of cherry and blackcurrant framing more mineral secondary flavors derived from the limestone and clay composition of the soil. The finish is characterized by its length and mineral inflection, with a saline conclusion that highlights the mineral qualities of the terroir rather than fruit-driven persistence.

Food and wine pairings

The Beaune 1er cru "Les Aigrots" 2022 pairs perfectly with grilled or sauced red meats. Its silky tannic structure and underlying minerality ideally complement preparations of beef, lamb, or game served rare to medium-rare, where the wine’s moderate body and refined tannins do not overpower the delicate qualities of the protein. Grilled preparations particularly highlight the wine’s dimensional complexity. Sauced dishes, especially those with mushrooms, red wine reduction, or cream, also make excellent pairings. Grilled squab, dishes with bacon, or mushroom-based accompaniments represent optimal choices. For cheeses, favor hard varieties such as Comté.

Serving and cellaring

The Beaune 1er cru "Les Aigrots" 2022 can be enjoyed now thanks to its immediate approachability, but its structure and acid balance allow it to develop increasing complexity over time. The optimal tasting window should begin three to five years after the vintage, with aging potential that may reach approximately ten to fifteen years under appropriate storage conditions.

An elegant and mineral Beaune Premier Cru

The estate

Domaine Albert Morot traces its origins to 1820 when Philibert Jacques Angélique Morot began selling wine from his vineyard in Beaune. In 1860, his sons Simon and Albert developed the family business, which officially took the name Maison Albert Morot in 1880. From 1890 onward, the heirs of Albert Morot strategically acquired several hectares of vineyards in Beaune and Savigny during the phylloxera crisis. In 1984, Françoise Choppin decided to completely abandon the négociant activity to focus exclusively on production from the estate’s vineyards. Geoffroy Choppin de Janvry took over the property in 2000 and initiated a conversion to organic farming, culminating in official certification in 2015. In 2023, the estate was acquired by the Poitrinal family, composed of Guillaume and Sophie Poitrinal, who appointed Pierre-Jean Villa to oversee winemaking. Today, the estate covers seven hectares of Premiers Crus in Beaune and around two hectares in Clos de la Bataillère in Savigny-Lès-Beaune.

The vineyard

The Climat Les Aigrots occupies a distinctive position on the central slope of the Montagne de Beaune, adjacent to the renowned Clos des Mouches. The vineyard benefits from mainly east and southeast exposure, providing consistent sunlight throughout the growing season. The specific soil composition consists largely of stony materials rich in silt and clay, with higher proportions of sand in the upper sections and greater concentrations of clay at lower elevations. The name Les Aigrots derives from ancient botanical nomenclature referring to holly, known as agria by the Greeks and latinized as agrifolium by the Romans, reflecting the historical presence of these thorny plants on the site before viticulture. The estate’s parcels dedicated to red wine cover approximately 0.75 hectares.

The vintage

The 2022 vintage at Domaine Albert Morot was shaped by distinctive seasonal conditions that produced a vintage characterized by quality and generosity. The autumn and winter preceding the 2022 growing season were remarkably mild, with temperatures above historical norms and significantly lower rainfall than usual patterns. Spring and early summer 2022 were marked by notable high temperatures, with four distinct heatwave episodes throughout the growing season. These sustained high temperatures accelerated flowering and fruit development cycles compared with typical timelines, while ideal moisture supply was maintained thanks to well-timed rainfall sufficient to support vine growth. Conditions in August included light showers in mid-month that proved critically important in maintaining the physiological health of the grapes and the development of acidity as the harvest window approached. Harvest began on September 4, representing a relatively early schedule reflecting the accelerated ripening progression.

Vinification and aging

The Beaune 1er cru "Les Aigrots" 2022 follows the traditional Burgundian approach to winemaking, using partially destemmed grapes fermented in open vats. The fermentation process relies exclusively on the natural indigenous yeasts present on the grape skins rather than on inoculated commercial yeasts. The fermentation approach emphasizes gentle extraction rather than aggressive tannin development, achieved through limited punch-downs and gentle pump-overs carried out during approximately twenty days of combined maceration and fermentation. After primary fermentation and maceration, the free-run juice is drawn from the vats by gravity, while the press wine is extracted using a pneumatic press and initially kept separate and aged independently. Subsequently, only the highest-quality portion of this press wine is carefully selected to be blended with the free-run juice. The maturation period lasts between fourteen and eighteen months depending on the specific cuvée, carried out in French oak barrels with approximately 20% new barrels and 80% previously used barrels. The aging process continues naturally without racking. At the end of the maturation period, the wines are returned to large vats and kept for six to eight weeks before bottling. Bottling is carried out without fining or filtration.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir