Armand Heitz Volnay Santenots Premier Cru 2019

Introduction

100% Pinot Noir. Domaine Heitz-Lochardet started in 1857 with the Nie-Vantey family. Post-phylloxera, many of the vineyards were sold, but the best Cote de Beaune vineyards were kept in the family by Georges Lochardet. Two generations later, Brigitte Lochardet married Christian Heitz and her share of the family vineyards, 5ha, became Heitz-Lochardet, which Brigitte organically farmed. For 25 years, Brigitte Lochardet contracted the totality of her vines to Maison Joseph Drouhin. As Armand Heitz, the next generation completed his enology studies in 2011, he began recuperating his mothers vineyards and converting them to full biodynamic practices. A young man with knowledge beyond his years, he completed his first vintage in 2013, guided by consulting oenologist Ludovic Pierrot who spent eight years at the legendary Domaine Leflaive, working alongside Anne-Claude Leflaive, the matriarch of Biodynamics in the Cote dOr. Ludovic is actively assisting Armand with his plan to bring his 5ha of vineyards to production in three stages. Yields are naturally restrained to low levels and grapes are manually picked at optimal phenolic ripeness. All wines, red and white, are fermented in wood with intact whole clusters. The wine is then racked into barrels for an aging of 11 months, with lees stirring (batonnage) for whites as appropriate to the vintage. We should note, for a couple of years, there was the family label, Heitz-Lochardet, and his negociant label, Armand Heitz. Armand thought that having both a Domaine and ngociant label was too confusing for his clients so he has consolidated them as of the 2019 vintage, all wines will be labelled as Armand Heitz which is what we have here. Either way, the wines are so amazing!
Allen Meadows of Burghound noted, ‘this is indisputably a Domaine to watch going forward. No doubt there. Enjoy their fantastic Burgundies from one of the best up-and-coming names in the region.
A pretty nose grudgingly reveals its aromas of poached plum, spice and a variety of floral nuances and in particular violet. The delicious, mouth coating and rich medium-weight flavours also contrast with the firm, serious and moderately austere finale. This is also built-to-age and a wine that I wouldn’t advise touching before 7 to 8 years of keeping.