Domaine Tortochot

Domaine Tortochot is a small family-run estate in the heart of Gevrey-Chambertin, in the Côte de Nuits region. Although the name isn’t as well-known as some of its neighbors’, the estate’s holdings are simply superb: four Grand Crus, including Chambertin itself, as well as an extensive lineup of “Villages” and “Premier Cru” wines from across the Côte de Nuits region.

Since the late 1990s, the estate has been managed by Chantal Michel-Tortosho, a representative of the fourth generation.

History

The story begins in 1865, when Paul Tortosho began purchasing vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin. In 1878, Burgundy was struck by a crisis caused by phylloxera, and land prices plummeted, allowing the estate to expand its holdings with relative ease. The business passed to Paul’s son, Félix, who became the first in the family to bottle his own wine.

He was followed by Gabriel Tortosho, and in 1997, his daughter Chantal joined him after 15 years working in the finance department of an American petrochemical company. She earned a degree in oenology from the University of Burgundy (Jules Guyot) and worked side by side with her father, who was already 80 years old at the time, until his death in 2001. She has managed the estate ever since. Part of the family’s holdings in Morey-Saint-Denis had been leased to Domaine Georges Lignier for 18 years, and Chantal reclaimed them for the estate when the lease expired in 1996. The Morey-Saint-Denis cuvée, which she now produces from grapes grown on these vines, bears the apt name “Renaissance.”

Vineyards

The estate covers approximately 11–12 hectares, spread across 34 separate plots in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, and one plot in Burgundy. About 80 percent are classified as “Village,” approximately 10 percent as “Premier Cru,” and 10 percent as “Grand Cru.”

The four Grand Crus are Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, and Clos de Vougeot, the latter consisting of just seven rows of old vines, which yield enough for about three barrels in a typical year.

The Premier Cru include Lavaux-Saint-Jacques and Champaux in Gevrey, Haut-Charmes in Morey-Saint-Denis, and Les Sentiers in Chambolle-Musigny.

Terroir

Gevrey-Chambertin owes much of its quality to the Combe de Lavaux, a side valley behind the village. An ancient glacier pushed alluvial soils into the village and up the slopes here, creating an exceptionally deep and diverse mixture of limestone, marl, and gravelly clay. As a result, a remarkable concentration of the finest vineyards is found here: Gevrey alone is home to 9 of the 33 Grand Crus and 26 Premier Crus of the Côte de Nuits.

Each of Tortosho’s plots has its own distinct character. For example, Lavaux-Saint-Jacques is cooler and windier, with low yields and a very clean, mineral style.

Grape Varieties

Pinot Noir for red wines, with a small amount of Chardonnay for Bourgogne Blanc and Aligoté for Bourgogne Aligoté. As is customary in this corner of Burgundy, the focus is on red wines.

Winemaking

The vineyards are planted at a high density, 10,000 vines per hectare, with yields reduced to seven or eight bunches per vine and green harvesting in August. No chemicals have been used since 2005, and the winery has been certified organic since 2013. Most of the grapes undergo destemming, though in recent vintages about 25 percent of the grapes are processed as whole bunches to add freshness in warmer years.

The grapes are cooled to a temperature of about 10 °C for a week of cold maceration, then fermented using native yeasts. Pressing is carried out on a pneumatic press to ensure gentle handling of the grapes.

Aging in oak barrels lasts 12 to 14 months for Premier Cru wines, longer for Grand Cru wines, with 25% of the barrels being new oak for village wines, about 50% for Premier and Grand Cru wines, and 80% for Chambertin. The wines are not clarified or filtered.

Wines

The range begins with Bourgogne Pinot Noir and Bourgogne Aligoté, followed by several cuvées from the villages of Gevrey-Chambertin (including Les Jeunes Rois and Champierre from old vines planted in the 1920s), Morey-Saint-Denis (Renaissance), and Chambolle-Musigny.

The Premier Crus include Gevrey-Lavoie-Saint-Jacques and Champaux, Morey-Saint-Denis Haut-Charmes, and Chambolle-Les-Sentiers.

At the top are the four Grand Crus: Clos de Vougeot, Charmes-Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, and Chambertin. Chantal describes the family of Grand Crus as follows: Chambertin is the serious father, Mazis is the cheerful son, Charmes is the elegant daughter, and Clos de Vougeot is the scholarly brother.