Jean-Jacques Confuron Cote de Nuits-Villages Les Vignottes 2018

When Jean-Jacques Confuron fell ill in 1982, wife Andrée and daughter Sophie took charge of a sleeping giant among Burgundy domaines. The vines were superbly located in many of the Côte de Nuits' best sites, but the cellars were outdated and the majority of stock was customarily sold to local négociants. Everything changed when Sophie Confuron enrolled at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune: she not only discovered a natural talent for winemaking, but also met Alain Meunier, now her husband. The young couple returned to the domaine in 1988, and instigated a veritable quality revolution. New cellars were constructed in 1989, equipped with the latest technology including pneumatic presses and temperature-control systems. In the vineyards, yields have been significantly reduced, and from 1991 onwards the domaine has been fully "biologique". The wine is no longer sold in bulk, but instead every last bottle is distributed on a tight allocation basis to key customers all around the world. Alain and Sophie share winemaking responsibilities, and have between them developed a house style that emphasises luscious, rounded fruit and soft, velvety tannins. The initial cold soak produces deep colour and the right tannins; closed vats and strict temperature control during fermentation maximise fresh, intense fruit flavours and aromas; new oak adds hedonistic appeal, with low yields ensuring that the wines have enough concentration to absorb and balance this oak. The results are quite simply irresistible.