Domaine R. Dubois & Fils Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc “Les Montbatois”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This wine of personality can delight as a young wine, but it is preferable to wait 3 or 4 years to see it express the full potential of Chardonnay.
- These vines in the Hautes Côtes, located parallel to the coast above the town of Beaune adorn the well exposed slopes of the hills dominating the coast at a average altitude (300 to 400 meters).
- The soil is clay-limestone with 40 cm of earth and lava strata. The plots are respectively 8 years old, 15 years old and 55 years old.
- This white wine, thanks to its good mellowness, do not have to be served too cold; a temperature of 12°C to 14°C is recommended.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Elaboration: Grapes are traditionally pressed to extract juice, which is then settled in tanks. The clear juice is placed in barrels and seeded with yeast for fermentation at temperatures between 16 and 19°C, lasting 10 days. After fermentation, the wines rest in the cellar for 10 months, undergoing malolactic fermentation for stabilization before bottling.
Tasting Notes: It has a firmness always attenuated by the softness of the Chardonnay. Its structure is both elegant and solid following passage in new barrels. It exudes a mixture of citrus aromas, apples then over time, honey, almond, supported by the toast of new wood.
PRESS
2021 – 92 Decanter
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The Dubois winegrowers’ legacy began in 1600 with Emiland Dubois. Louis Dubois (1874–1947) expanded the estate to 5 acres in Premeaux-Prissey and Nuits-Saint-Georges after acquiring his first vine plot in 1898. His son, Robert (1910–2004), strengthened the estate’s reputation with a Nuits Premier Cru plot in 1961.
Régis Dubois (born 1939) and his wife Christiane grew the vineyard to 50 acres and started bottling wines in 1969.
Now in its fourth generation, Raphaël and his sister Béatrice manage the estate. Raphaël focuses on marketing, while Béatrice, a passionate oenologist, handles production and global tastings, ensuring the continued legacy of Dubois wines.