2019 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Pinot Charrat

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 78 points

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  11/15/2021 - forceberry wrote: 85 Points

  100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from the limestone-rich Charrat vineyard. 14,2% alcohol.
  
  Very youthful, deep and almost completely opaque dark ruby color. Noticeably sweet, fruit-driven and succulent aromas of very ripe black cherries, some plummy notes, a little bit of vanilla oak, light chocolatey notes of toasty mocha oak, a hint of clove and a touch of licorice. The wine is rich, solar and sweetly-fruited on the palate wit ha rather full body and juicy, ripe flavors of dark forest fruits and marmaladey raspberry, some vanilla oak, a little bit of tart cranberry, light meaty notes of umami, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of clove. The overall feel is a bit on the soft side, although the medium-to-moderately high acidity and gently grippy tannins bring some welcome firmness and sense of balance to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately oak-driven with very gentle tannic grip and somewhat sweetish flavors of wizened black cherries, some sweet oak notes of vanilla and cloves, a little bit of tart cranberry, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of ripe strawberry and a toasty touch of mocha oak.
  
  A rather fat and surprisingly oak-heavy Pinot Noir from Marie-Thérèse Chappaz - a producer I normally associate with fresh, pure-fruited and complex wines. Although this wine showed a bit more structure than its single-vineyard sibling Grain Pinot Charrat Les Esserts 2019 that was tasted alongside, this Charrat came across even sweeter-fruited and more noticeably oaky in style, resulting in a wine that felt like a sweet, oaky and marmaladey crowdpleaser. Although Chappaz can make some wonderful Pinot Noirs in best vintages, it seems 2019 wasn't a particularly successful vintage when it comes to Valais Pinot Noir. I really hope some aging might make those oakier notes integrate a bit better with the voluptuous fruit.

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