Giboulot Sous Le Mont 2014

Giboulot Sous Le Mont 2014, organic wine, 100% Pinot Noir, outstanding winery, a classic of the purist old school style of red Burgundy. The vines are situated on the west of the plateau overlooking the Côte de Nuits.  The Hautes-Cotes is planted on well exposed slopes over 19 communes in the Cote d’Or department.  They lie at an elevation of between 300 and 400 meters.  The vines for Sous le Mont grow in gravelly clay-limestone soils with a south-eastern exposure and come from two parcels. The name comes from the priory-topped hill that dominates the latter parcel, Villers-La-Faye.  After hand-harvesting they destem the grapes. The alcoholic formation takes place in large open re-used wooden vats.  They do not heat the must or add enzymes.  These aromas, tannins and colour are all completely natural and authentic.  Like all Giboulot wines, Sous Le Mont 14 is a true reflection of the terroirs and the grape.  They ferment the wines for about 23 days and they are aged for 12 to 15 months in old barrels before bottling.

Emmanuel Giboulet is somewhat of a renegade in the Burgundy bubble, resisting wholeheartedly the use of chemicals and pesticides in the vineyard.

Stemming from his father's move to organic production after his mother became ill and they realised the impact chemicals were having on the land. Since taking over the estate in 1985 he has sought to increase the biodiversity and learn how to keep the vines healthy with natural balance. This behaviour risked getting him landed in jail when the appellation called for all vineyards to be sprayed with a chemical to protect the spread of 'flavescence dorée' and he refused. Luckily, due to huge support and the opening of the debate, he was allowed to continue and his approach has stood the test of time. He has now grown his holdings to nearly 10 hectares with small plots all over the Cotes de Beaune and some in Cotes de Nuits. He remains committed to his principles and he even has the enviable reputation of being 'supposedly' the only producer in Burgundy never to chaptalise his wines, and he never uses new oak, just used barrels. A purist through and through, for pure, authentic Burgundy, Giboulot is your man.