Yann Durieux, La Gouzotte, Pinot Noir, 2020, 13.5% abv.
Online sources say this is from the "Hautes Cotes de Nuits". 100% whole bunch, 1 month on skins, pigeage by foot, aging for approximately 18 months in tank. Named after a sharp hooked knife commonly used in vineyards for pruning. Interestingly, Domaine Recrue de Sens, the "official" name for Yann Durieux's winery, is not pruned and all the vines are intertwined to connect the vineyards.
Nose: off the bat light, purple grape syrup, some strawberry preserves, pickled strawberries, a good amount of warm red fruit sprite, not so sour raspberries. With time the aromas slightly intensify to a light strawberry core with ripe cherry accoutrements. Interestingly I am not getting truly offensive elements which perhaps the winemaker purposely reduced in the 2020 release? In my opinion, aromas didn't "feel" like a young "natural" wine, but not showing the aroma markers of a matured "natural" wine either.
Palate: light body, entry is like an old grape-syrup champagne, hint of leaves, mid palate shows light red fruit, some game-iness, diluted beef bone soup but with chunks of boiled beef, light pickled strawberries, hints of plastic, back palate has some leather, weird earth, watery clay?, light chalk, light alcohol, a bit spicey too. Brett? After a few weeks in the fridge, it is very sweet… yeah I kept it in the fridge for several weeks… still good.
Finish: short, dry, grape juice, fruit skins, firm grainy chewey tannins are more prevalent. After a few weeks in the fridge, the dryness is gone and it is more diluted honey than anything.
Vernacular: nose is mostly primary. Light body, hints of effervescence, medium acidity, minimal secondaryif any, light minerality and tertiary elements. Finish is short with light acidity, light alcohol, and a good display of chewey grainy tannins.
Honestly not bad, I am a bit motivated to check out his other stuff. He seems well distributed in South Korea. Reminds me of some stuff from Beaujolais. Seems like brettanomyces is present. Minute sediment in each pour. Got this for KRW₩115K, or about USD$80, in Busan, South Korea.
Grade: C+
by starvinggigolo