Robert Chevillon

Robert’s two sons, Bertrand and Denis, now look after the winemaking and viticulture respectively. Their vineyards stretch from the far south side of Nuits St-Georges to the very north side next to Vosne-Romanée. All of the wines demonstrate harmony, ripe fruit and structure thanks to both hard work in the vineyard by Denis (who insists on low yields and a strict grape selection) and to a fermentation and barrique elevage carefully controlled by Bertrand. There are no frills or careful secrets here, the crop is destalked, fermented and agedin in a maximum of one third new oak for the top crus. These wines are the product of terroir-knowledge and hard, hands-on, work. It is a great compliment to them both that their wines are so balanced yet still maintain the individuality and character that emanates from their terroir. The vineyards south of Nuits (Pruliers and Vaucrains) tend to have more muscle and drive while those nearer Vosne, such as the Chaignots, verge more on elegance and silkiness.

2017 Vintage

“Une belle surprise, et tant mieux!” were Bertrand Chevillon’s opening words when describing the 2017 vintage. For after two year’s of pitifully low yields, Bertrand is breathing a momentary sigh of relief with 2017 - the biggest crop since 2009. A ripe, early harvest that Bertrand likens to 2007 calling it a “very pretty earlier drinking style of vintage.” The wines have fine contours - beautiful textures that provide an accessible glossy veneer to the Nuits fruit and minerality. Make no mistake, these show stuffing, complexity and plenty of vineyard definition but are proving rather irresistible already.

2018 Vintage

Bertrand Chevillon thinks we are all going to have to be very “patient” with the 2018's, explaining “it is a powerful, concentrated vintage. They are going to need time. I have never seen grapes like it, though, so healthy and ripe, they were exceptional.” Unfortunately, two bouts of hail struck at the end of June and early July, resulting in a 25 to 30% crop loss in vineyards south of Nuits - Cailles, Vaucrains and Les St.- Georges were all badly affected. Hailed grapes had shrivelled and dried by the time harvest came around, starting on the 4th September and were easily eliminated by a table de trie. These are bigger, richer wines than we are accustomed to here – across all levels - even the Bourgogne has power and muscle as well as an unbelievable 13.5 degrees of natural alcohol, something Bertrand has never seen before, but they are also generous and effusive in true Chevillon fashion.

2019 Vintage

Vintage started at Domaine Robert Chevillon on the 19th September and finished on the 25th. Bertrand hails it “another special vintage with a hot season and beautiful quality of harvest” but, he notes with all too familiar resignation, “smaller quantites”. In his case this means a reduction of up to 40% versus 2018. A combination of frost, bad flowering and drought were the perpetrators. Vintage conditions were extremely healthy and the results were above Chevillon’s expectations. Summarising, Bertrand says that “all of these twists and turns in the season have produced a vintage to lay down – very concentrated with a deep fruit character, beautiful ruby red colours and richness.” It is just such a shame there is so little of it.

2020 Vintage

This looks to be an even smaller vintage than 2019. Flowering was good and there were plenty of berries, but they were so small and had no juice. Worse still, compounding the season’s drought, was hail that struck Nuits on the 1st August. The oldest vine cuvees, Cailles, Vaucrains and Les St Georges are 50% down. Harvest began on the 27th August and finished on the 4th September. A powerful Chevillon vintage, where even the Bourgogne has the punch of a Gevrey. The style is fleshy, concentrated with ripe dark fruits. Alcohols range from 13.5 to 14%.

2021 Vintage

The Russian doll sequence continues at Chevillon; 2021 being a third smaller than 2020, which itself was smaller than 2019. But make no mistake, this is a beauty of a vintage here, a return to Chevillon’s finer side after some powerful vintages. “We were very surprised by this vintage. It’s magnifique. Very Bourguignon” Bertrand intoned. “There was a lot of humidity all year, we had to treat a lot against mildew and oidium, we had to be vigilant. We lost between 50% and 80% of a crop. The worst hit vineyards were Les St Georges, Perrieres and Les Cailles.” Malos were late here in Bertrand’s cool cellars and as a result the wines have good colours, but what impressed us most was the tannic finesse and true site specificity of these wines. “These are real Pinots, with lots of red fruit and brilliance. I think they’ll always taste good.”

2022 Vintage

Our appointment with Bertrand Chevillon was at 9am on a warm Wednesday morning in mid-October. As ever we were met by both Chevillon brothers, who were still lamenting the Rugby, while at the same time smiling about the amount of 2023 they had in the cellar – grapes like “ballons de foot” Bertrand cheerfully recounted with a smile, sport clearly on the mind. They were also, we realised with hindsight, feeling pretty confident about the 2022s - they are an unmitigated success! “We’re really happy with these 2022s.” Bertrand confirmed, while pouring a most impressive and very “Nuits” Bourgogne. “There are some serious wines here. There are tannins, but they are not aggressive, they….melt…and there’s real length in the wines. We have good acids….AND there’s a bit more wine than 2019 and 2020.” This is a range Chevillon followers will not want to miss out on – excellent site definition, Nuits in character with plenty of firm stony notes, but with a freshness and suppleness to the fruit that makes them a joy to taste. They should age beautifully.

2023 Vintage

Bertrand Chevillon was surprised, but ultimately delighted with the way his 2023s evolved in the cellar. Likening them to 2017, but with more matter, he was particularly happy with the combination of fruit and structure the wines display. Yields here averaged around 40hl/ha, the result of a typically rigorous de-budding programme early in the season, of having a high proportion of old vines, and a good deal of sorting come harvest. Picking began on the 11th September and was over within a week, a big haul of healthy grapes with which to fill the cellar. A range of big-hearted wines, with plenty of Nuits’ character across the range, each site clearly defined, but also very pleasing suppleness to the structures.