Auxey-Duresses, Blanc Jean-Philippe Fichet 2021

Description

Jean-Philippe Fichet is a grower from Meursault who is driven by the desire to make great wines. From the second you enter his immaculate cave you know there will be serious wine to be found. The spotless converted barn close by l'Hôpital in Meursault is airconditioned and provides a welcome relief from his scattered and cramped conditions of a few years ago. Jean-Philippe's father bottled a few wines himself but mostly sold in bulk. The Bourgogne Blanc, Meursault Criots, Gruyaches and Puligny Montrachet Referts come from him. The other wines are on share-cropping agreements with various owners. Fichet’s big step forward came in 2000 when he moved the whole operation to splendid cellars at ‘Le Creux du Coche’ by the Hôpital de Meursault where he has been able to oversee all aspects of vinification and maturation with much greater efficiency. He has a negociant’s licence to enable him to buy the owners part of the wines he makes under the share-cropping system, as well as his brother’s and sister’s vines. Jean-Philippe is looking for purity in his wines. He uses whole bunches when the grapes are fully ripe, but crushes some in less ripe years before pressing. The juice is left to settle for 12 hours and the fine lees are retained. They may occasionally be stirred but as gently as possible. 

Produced from a combination of two tiny plots, "Les Nampoillons" is located in the fault running towards St Romain, with full southern exposure; this plot is located on very stony white marl and "Les Closeaux": located at the entrance to the village, on the Meursault side. The combination of these two sites provides delicate, straight wines, with a touch of citrus fruit It is green in colour. This wine is well made and balanced; it's amazingly fragrant and can compete with the more pretigious appellations