Delicate garnet colour with peppery, strawberry fruit on the nose, the palate is light to medium-bodied with appealing nervy fruit and mouth-watering acidity balancing the dry tannins and elegant red fruit.
Founded in 1864 by Pierre Bourée, Vallet Frères is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the family, Bernard and Jean-Christophe Vallet. The family owns vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the Beaune Premier Cru of Les Epenottes, and in the Grand Cru of Charmes-Chambertin, as well as the entire monopole vineyard of Clos de la Justice, also in Gevrey-Chambertin. Vallet Frères is also a négociant, and sources the best grapes from growers in other areas, with whom it has worked closely for decades. The wines it produces are complex, fine and authentic examples of Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Vallet family's wines have been imported to the UK for over 30 years and today they're distributed by top independent wine merchants and Michelin-starred restaurants across the country.
The grapes come into the winery as whole bunches because the Vallets believe that destalked wines lose their colour too quickly. The first 10cm of each barrel is filled with grapes which are crushed by foot, the barrel is then topped up with whole bunches and fermentation starts naturally after 2-3 days. Since yeasts are an expression of the individual vintage and vineyard, no artificial yeasts are used. 3-4 times a day the pulp is trodden by foot to further extract colour and flavour. The wines are left in open top fermenters until the cap sinks then decanted into 20-30% well-toasted new oak (a small percentage compared to most). After 15-20 months the wine is racked, blended and lightly fined. Wines are not filtered but checked by candlelight, then bottled directly from barrel by hand on a cask by cask basis.
Serve with a traditionally Coq au Vin. Roast chicken or young game birds and equally good with pasta bakes or wild mushroom linguine.
