Saint Romain La Combe Bazin 2015 – Domaine Pierre Naigeon

Saint Romain La Combe Bazin Domaine Pierre Naigeon is vinified in a gravity-fed winery, this cuvée was made with the minimal amount of intervention. The grapes to produce Saint Romain La Combe Bazin Domaine Pierre Naigeon  underwent a meticulous manual sorting, before being gently pressed by a pneumatic press. Fermentation took place using indigenous yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. Pierre uses the absolute minimum amount of sulphur in his wines. 15% of the wine was aged in new Frenchoak barriques. The wine was very lightly fined, but not filtered, prior to being bottled.

The plot of Combe Bazin in the appellation of Saint Romain, is situated on a steep slope on the upper part of the valley, facing south west. The climate is relatively cool and imparts a distinctive sharp saline character to the wines. The vines are planted in shallow white soils with a high limestone and marl content originating from the Jurassic period. The soils include patches of clay, which particularly suits the Chardonnay grape. Pierre believes in respecting the terroir; he ensures the yields are kept low and follows organic and biodynamic principles, taking into consideration the cycles of the moon and the sun. The perfectly ripe and healthy grapes are hand harvested, with every bunch being delicately picked into small bins.

Domaine Pierre Naigeon is a leading and renowned producer in the Côtes de Nuits. The Naigeon family has been established in Gevrey-Chambertin for over 150 years. They acquired some vines and started to produce wine in 1890. The estate remained reasonably small until 2003 when Pierre purchased more land increasing their holdings to 11.5 hectares. Pierre Naigeon believes passionately in sustainable farming, without the use of herbicides. He believes in non-interventionist winemaking and aims to produce wines full of fragrance, revealing the natural terroir. The average age of his vines is remarkably high, mostly over 50 years, which endows the wines with extraordinary quality, maturity and concentration.