Domaine Dujardin Monthelie Premier Cru 'Les Barbieres' 2022

This structured and 'aristocratic' red wine originates from France, within the prestigious Monthélie Premier Cru A.O.C. appellation in the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy. Produced by Domaine Dujardin a highly respected, family-owned estate deeply rooted in the Côte de Beaune this single-vineyard bottling represents a refined expression of one of Burgundy's most compelling hidden gems. Sourced from the south-facing Les Barbières Premier Cru vineyard (situated on gentle, well-draining slopes bordering Volnay and Meursault), the vines thrive in deep limestone, reddish clay, and stony marl soils. The semi-continental microclimate features generous solar exposure balanced by cool night air descending from the surrounding hills, allowing Pinot Noir to achieve complete phenolic maturity while maintaining a chiseled natural acidity and bright aromatic purity.

Wine Description

The 2022 Domaine Dujardin Monthélie Premier Cru 'Les Barbières' presents a brilliant, deep garnet-ruby color in the glass with bright magenta and crimson reflections along the rim. Its sensory profile is exceptionally fresh, high-toned, and complex, delivering an energetic, precise, and elegant portrait of Premier Cru Monthélie terroir. The bouquet opens with a soaring display of fresh red cherries, wild raspberries, and black plums, seamlessly layered with complex underlays of fresh violets, peony, forest floor (sous-bois), subtle baking spices, and a clean line of chalky limestone minerality. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, sleek, and athletic, showcasing a vibrant core of crunchy red stone fruits, blood orange zest, and pomegranate. It is characterized by its outstanding inner energy and an incisive, mouthwatering backbone of natural acidity that cuts cleanly across the mid-palate fruit density. The mouthfeel is broad, weightless, and silky, framed by fine-grained, chalky tannins that glide into an extraordinarily long, dry, and mineral-driven finish accented by persistent notes of cherry skin, wild strawberry, and subtle oak spice.

This high-definition Burgundian expression is 100% Pinot Noir, meticulously hand-harvested from low-yielding vineyard blocks. Following rigorous cluster sorting, the fruit underwent traditional temperature-controlled fermentation in open-top vats using indigenous natural yeasts, accompanied by gentle pump-overs and manual punch-downs to extract delicate color and noble phenolics without harshness. The wine completed full malolactic conversion and was matured sur lie for 12 to 15 months in French oak barrels (approximately 20% to 30% new wood) before master blending and bottling without aggressive fining or filtration. It reaches an effortlessly integrated, food-friendly alcohol content (ABV) of 13.0% to 13.5% and is finished bone-dry.

Vintage Quality

The 2022 growing season in Burgundy was a triumph, defined by warm, sunny summer weather balanced by timely rains that allowed Pinot Noir grapes to achieve complete phenolic skin maturity with pristine, vibrant acid levels. Domaine Dujardin harvested clean, healthy fruit at optimal structural balance. The resulting 2022 Domaine Dujardin Monthélie Premier Cru 'Les Barbières' combines bright red fruit volume with chiseled limestone tension, built to drink beautifully upon release and evolve gracefully in a cellar over the next 8 to 12 years.