Today we want to highlight some very special Burgundy from beloved “if you know, you know” producer Cécile Tremblay who is renowned as one of the most gifted viticulturists in Burgundy. These wines are so rare we are always a little surprised to get our hands on them. They are a treat.
Since 2002 Cécile's wines have been finding their way into the collections of astute Burgundy enthusiasts and France's finest restaurants—the quantities she works in are so small there isn’t much that leaves the country. Many of her vines come from her great grandparents holdings (the Jayer’s) that were planted in the 1920s.
Her wines (especially the ‘21s) are delicate and vivid but are alow always intense with vivacious, exuberant fruit that’s rich in the mid-palate with a long and intense finish. She’s one of the types of producers who shines in hard years, and in Burgundy 2021 was that but some are calling her wines the best of the vintage.
Based in Morey-St. Denis, Cecile runs an interesting biodynamic 4+ ha domaine across the Côte de Nuits but she has added several more appellations over the last 5 years. She believes in very dense plantings, manual harvesting, some destemming but more and more whole-cluster fermentations are happening with 15 to 18 months of élevage in approximately one-third new oak barrels and bottling without fining or filtering. Truly a pure look at her terroirs.
Cecile Tremblay Morey-Saint-Denis Tres Girard
This wine comes from the bottom of the village near the domaine and it is an absolutely vivid example from a terroir that suits the vintage well, with the freshness of the 2021 acidity and energy lifting the slightly dense Morey feel—elegant but not quite as flighty as Chambolle, structured but not falling into the brawn of Gevry.
Cecile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny Les Cabottes
This wine is deep and intense, with the vintage’s lovely acidity. This has a clear Chambolle character, along with fine intensity for the vintage. It’s a gorgeous wine that leaves you with a big smile. It seems like Cécile has a special gift with Chambolle, maybe its in her blood as these are from the family holdings from the 1920s.
Cecile Tremblay Vosne-Romanee 1er (2021)
As mentioned the 2021 vintage was challenging, and while Tremblay typically makes two 1er cru wines from Vosne, that year she blended the two sites with the best grapes meaning that the resulting wine is going to be an absolutely epic but balanced expression. The sites are Les Beaux Monts (planted in 1927) and Les Rouges de Dessus which sits on the top of the slope in Flagey-Echezeaux directly above the Echezeaux Grand Cru site.
Cecile Tremblay Vosne-Romanee VV
The Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes is beautiful and silky with the classic Vosne tension; intense, yet elegantly light-footed with zen-like balance. A whole bouquet of Vosne spices, including hints of cloves and allspice, combine with peonies and pink and white roses. Cool and energetic.
