Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champonnet 2017

Charles Mortet set up his estate in 1956 with a single hectare of vines. True to the tradition in Burgundy, he sold most of his production to merchant houses. In 1978 Denis joined his father, along with his wife Laurence. They were respectively 22 and 20 years old at the time. As Laurence’s family were farmers, she quickly took to working in the vineyard to her great satisfaction. Little by little, Denis developed bottled wine sales. He succeeded his father in 1993 and created Domaine Denis Mortet. At the time it represented some 4.5 hectares within the districts of Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot – but this was just the start to the establishment’s vineyard. In 1993 the company acquired the parcels of the Premier Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques in Gevrey-Chambertin, as well as vineyard plots in Motrot, in Vellé, in Champs, and La Côte des Longeroies in Marsannay. In 1997 it purchased the district area, La Combe du Dessus. This was followed in 1999 by the acquisition of the vineyard of Chambertin Grand Cru. And of Premier Cru parcels and the Derée locality in 2000. At present, the estate comprises 11.2 hectares. In 2000 Denis’ son, Arnaud entered the company. He and his mother have been in charge since 2005.

When it comes to the Mortet family, here is a tell tale sign of men who are more attracted to spending time in the vineyards than to going to school. For them, the vineyard represents a complicity with nature, loyalty to the work of their forefathers and family ties. They fully respect the art of vine-growing, as they understand that grapes are the indispensable raw material required to produce great wine. What is the point in studying, when, from the grand-father Charles to the grand-son Arnaud, everyone is instinctively attracted to the land and has a keen eye for the surrounding landscapes? When everyone immediately notes the scent expressed by a plant or the buzzing of an insect? Indeed this is what it is all about. It is about their heart that is beating for this treasure of living vines amassed over several generations.