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2020 Bourgogne Rouge “L’Ermitage”

Domaine de la Cadette
Discount Eligible $42.00
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Red Burgundy is inextricably linked to the grape that once grew wild in its forests, later tamed and propagated by Cistercian monks in the middle ages: the legendary and noble Pinot Noir. However, on the far northern tip of Burgundy, in the pastoral hills around Vézelay, there remain a few scattered acres of another red grape, curiously referred to as “César” by the locals. Legend has it that this grape was first introduced to this particular area when Caesar himself marched his soldiers there to face down and conquer the Gauls once and for all at the battle of Alésia. After a long siege and brutal battles, Caesar went home triumphant, with the Gallic leader Vercingetorix in a cage as his prize. He left behind not only fields of the red grape we call César today, but also a local populace with newly learned skills of vine-growing and winemaking.
     While the legend may seem tall, recent DNA testing has shown that this far-away-from-home grape is a cousin to Barbera from Piedmont in Italy. Only a few small pockets of it remain in northern Burgundy, where it is blended with Pinot Noir. Fortunately for us, La Cadette is one of those lucky few who give us a chance to sip this wonderfully rustic and brambly blend with hints of ancient history and intrigue.
     The Ermitage parcel in Vézelay, co-planted with both César and Pinot Noir, offers an unexpected marriage that works surprisingly well. The César adds an element of dense, dark fruit and tannic structure, while the fresh, bright, and lively Pinot Noir provides fluidity and high-toned aromatics. The result is a beautiful Cadette rouge with a bit more structure and plenty of pleasure.

Chris Santini


Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2020
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: 85% Pinot Noir, 15% César
Appellation: Bourgogne
Country: France
Region: Burgundy
Producer: Domaine de la Cadette
Winemaker: Valentin Montanet
Vineyard: 25 years, 13.5 ha total
Soil: Limestone, White Marl
Aging: Raised in barrel for 9 months
Farming: Organic (certified)
Alcohol: 14.2%

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About The Region

Burgundy

map of Burgundy

In eastern central France, Burgundy is nestled between the wine regions of Champagne to the north, the Jura to the east, the Loire to the west, and the Rhône to the south. This is the terroir par excellence for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The southeast-facing hillside between Dijon in the north and Maranges in the south is known as the Côte d’Or or “golden slope.” The Côte d’Or comprises two main sections, both composed of limestone and clay soils: the Côte de Nuits in the northern sector, and the Côte de Beaune in the south. Both areas produce magnificent whites and reds, although the Côte de Beaune produces more white wine and the Côte de Nuits more red.

Chablis is Burgundy’s northern outpost, known for its flinty and age-worthy Chardonnays planted in Kimmeridgian limestone on an ancient seabed. Vézelay is a smaller area south of Chablis with similar qualities, although the limestone there is not Kimmeridgian.

To the south of the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise extends from Chagny on its northern end, down past Chalon-sur-Saône and encompasses the appellations of Bouzeron in the north, followed by Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny.

Directly south of the Chalonnaise begins the Côte Mâconnais, which extends south past Mâcon to the hamlets of Fuissé, Vinzelles, Chaintré, and Saint-Véran. The Mâconnais is prime Chardonnay country and contains an incredible diversity of soils.

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Inspiring Thirst

I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.

Inspiring Thirst, page 171