Genot-Boulanger Aloxe-Corton Clos du Chapitre 1er Cru 2017 (750ML)

93 CT

The domaine, formerly known as Château Génot-Boulanger is run by Guillaume Lavollée and his wife Aude, who is the inheritor of an estate which was founded by her great grandfather (Génot) and his Boulanger wife. His family had been pharmacists for 20 generations but in 1974 he sold up and bought some vines in Mercurey before moving to Meursault and adding Côte de Beaune vineyards. Initially they were installed in an outhouse of the Château de Citeaux but the domaine has moved to modern premises in the Champs de Lin estate on the far side of the railway.

Guillaume Lavollée met Aude in 2006 and came to do the harvest the following year – only to find that the vineyard manager had quit the day before picking was due to start and that he would have to make the wine that year! With the aid of right-hand man Nicolas Ludwig they are on the right path. The vines have been farmed organically since 2010 and certified as such since 2018.

The white wines are perhaps the stronger suit here. The preference is to avoid picking late as the judgement call is made more on acidity than sugar levels. Since 2015 the grapes have been crushed before pressing and vinified without sulphur. There is usually no lees stirring, with a maximum of 15% new wood throughout the cellar. After 12 months in barrel the wines spend a further six months in tank before bottling.

The reds are improving steadily. Work needed doing in the vineyards straight away. The bold decision was taken to rip out all the poor pinot clones in the red vineyards, which means that the proportion of younger vines is not ideal just at the moment. Guillaume has now settled on the style that he wants to make and has returned to systematic destemming, after a few experiments with some whole bunch vinification.- Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy