Vineyards and winemaking
Les Vignes Rondes is an unusually situated Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, lying on the shallow ground east of the main road below Les Corvées. Deeper clay-limestone soils, scattered with small limestone stones over hard bedrock, give Pinot Noir breadth and savoury depth while retaining the appellation's characteristic drive.
The fruit was harvested by hand from mature vines and fermented with indigenous yeasts in open vats, with measured extraction to preserve perfume and texture. The wine then spent around sixteen months in French oak, approximately 30% new, before bottling.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Medium garnet with a brick-red rim, consistent with a Pinot Noir of this age.
Nose
Red cherry and redcurrant are joined by dried rose, woodland floor, warm spice and a faint gunflint note. Gentle aeration brings out truffle, cedar and autumn leaf.
Palate
Silky and savoury, with mature cherry fruit, fine acidity and softened tannins. Notes of cinnamon, earth and dark cocoa add complexity, while a persistent mineral thread keeps the finish composed and dry.
Food pairing
A natural partner for roast pheasant with bread sauce, beef fillet with mushroom duxelles, duck breast with braised red cabbage, or a woodland mushroom pithivier. Its mature savoury character also works well with a properly aged Comté.
Background story
Daniel Rion founded the domaine in 1955 with two hectares of vines in Vosne-Romanée. By the time this 2009 was made, the family estate had grown across a broad range of Côte de Nuits appellations and was being run by Daniel's sons, with traditional Burgundian methods at the centre of its work.
This bottle belongs to that historical chapter of Domaine Daniel Rion, before the family's holdings were subsequently divided. The 2009 Les Vignes Rondes received 17 points from Jancis Robinson. Mature Burgundy should be approached gently: stand the bottle upright beforehand, inspect the cork carefully and decant only if sediment requires it, as prolonged air can diminish its finer aromas.
