Ghislaine Barthod En Primeur

Ghislaine’s Barthod’s wines are masterfully balanced, well-known for their finesse and tannin quality. Chambolle-Musigny is renowned for the aromatic lift it gives to Pinot Noir, perhaps more so than any other village in Burgundy. She fully destems her Pinot Noir and uses a short cold soak – these steps accentuate extraction of colour over tannin and perfume over richness. No more than 30% new oak is used on any of the wines and they receive a relatively long élevage in oak of 18 months.

Ghislaine Barthod’s domaine originated in the 1920s with Marcel Noëllat whose daughter married Gaston Barthod, a soldier stationed in Dijon who came to buy some wine and got the girl as well. He gave up military life for the vineyards in 1960.  His daughter, Ghislaine, and her partner Louis Boillot bought their current premises in Gevrey-Chambertin 1986. The domaine has an incomparable range of Chambolle- Musigny terroirs, with eleven separate Premier Cru bottlings as well as highly-regarded Bourgogne and Village wines.

Ghislaine and Louis’s son Clément is now working closely with his parents and taking a greater share of the winemaking duties each year, and he guided me through the cellar tasting the 2019s. Picking began here on the 10th of September, with modest alcohol levels for the vintage, ranging between 13.5 and 13.8. What is really impressive here is the clear identity of each wine and the beautiful texture which comes from perfectly ripe tannins.

~ Justin Knock MW