Blagny 1er cru La Pièce sous le Bois 2023 Domaine Matrot

The Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce sous le Bois 2023 from Domaine Matrot is a rare Pinot Noir, one of the finest expressions of Blagny: an enchanting wine already in full voice, with notes of stone fruit, dark cherry, soft truffle, and flowers. Full-bodied and fleshy, it is masterfully balanced, with structure and grip, and stands among the rare appellations of the Côte de Beaune where Chardonnay and Pinot Noir share the same climat with equal distinction.

Terroir and vines

La Pièce sous le Bois sits high on the slopes above Meursault, at the border of Puligny and Blagny, neighbour to Meursault Blagny Premier Cru white. The soils are limestone and stony, deeply marked by terroir, and the Pinot Noir vines are around thirty years old. Blagny is one of the rare appellations of the Côte de Beaune permitted to practice replanting within the vineyard. The limestone soil gives the wine its finesse and delicate texture. The vines are farmed organically with hand harvesting. The grapes are entirely destemmed, followed by a cold soak of three to six days at 10°C, then fermentation of twelve to eighteen days with native yeasts. Ageing lasts fifteen months in oak barrels, 20% new wood, followed by three months in stainless steel before bottling.

Tasting profile

The robe is deep red with violet glints. The nose is suave and refined, mingling raspberry coulis and wild strawberries, dark cherry, violet, Russian leather, camphor, and black pepper, with notes of stone fruit and soft truffle. The palate is silken, balanced, linear and lifted, fresh and energetic, with supple tannins. The finish, of remarkable persistence, returns to wild strawberry with a marked mineral energy shaped by limestone.

The domaine

A family estate since 1835 and based in Meursault, Domaine Matrot has been run since 2016 by the sixth generation, Adèle and Elsa Matrot, daughters of Thierry and Pascale, who have preserved the domaine's style whilst bringing added finesse, making the wines accessible younger without compromising their ageing potential. The domaine, rated three stars at RVF, produces beautifully pure and harmonious reds, using very little new oak.

Food pairings

This Blagny Premier Cru pairs well with pigeon breast, roast duck, game, veal, grilled red meat, or aged cheese. Served around 15°C after aeration, it can be enjoyed now or cellared for around a decade, with an ideal window between 2028 and 2036.