Domaine Trapet – Gevrey Chambertin.
Last autumn we visited Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits, famous for producing arguable the best and most sought-after Pinot Noirs in the world. For our visit to Gevrey-Chambertin we headed to one of the rising stars and now amongst the best producers in the village: Domaine Trapet.
Gevrey Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin is one of the iconic villages that make up the Côte de Nuits (a 24 kilometer stretch between Dijon and Beaune). The Côte de Nuits is known for producing high-quality red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes. The region is located within the larger Burgundy wine region and is named after the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which is located at the southern end of the region. The Côte de Nuits is home to a number of famous wine villages, including Gevrey-Chambertin. The wines produced in the Côte de Nuits are known for their complex flavors, elegant tannins, and long-aging potential.
Gevrey-Chambertin as a whole is known for producing high-quality red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes. The wines from Gevrey-Chambertin are mainly classified as “Premier Cru” and “Grand Cru” wines, which are among the highest quality categories in the Burgundy wine classification system. The village is known for its wealth of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Domaine Trapet is the owner of a number of iconic Premier and Grand Cru vineyards, amongst which the three Grand Cru’s Le Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin and Chapelle-Chambertin.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Domaine Trapet is a family-owned winery of about 18.5 hectares, located in the Gevrey-Chambertin region of Burgundy. The winery has a rich history dating back to the 19th century, and it is known for producing some of the finest Pinot Noir wines in the world. In addition to its Pinot Noir wines, Domaine Trapet also produces a range of white wines made from Chardonnay grapes. These wines are known for their fresh and crisp flavors, with hints of citrus and tropical fruit. The grapes for these wines are carefully selected and hand-picked to ensure the highest quality.
The Trapet family has been producing wine in the Gevrey-Chambertin region for over 150 years. The winery was founded by Louis Trapet in the late 19th century, and it has been passed down through the generations ever since. Over the years, the winery has grown and evolved, but it has always maintained a commitment to producing high-quality, terroir-driven wines that reflect the character of the region.
At Domaine Trapet, traditional winemaking techniques are combined with modern technology to produce wines that are expressive and full of character. The winery uses a combination of stainless-steel tanks and oak barrels to age its wines, and they are bottled by hand to ensure that each bottle meets the highest standards of quality.
Trapet owns 18.5 hectares of vineyards in Burgundy and their total yearly production here is around 100,000 bottles to this you can add the ~ 110,000 bottles they produce in Alsace. About 60% of this finds its way into export, 30% is sold regionally to restaurants and retail and 10% is sold at the Domaine.
In the 1980s, Jean Louis Trapet took over the family business and continued the tradition of producing high-quality wines. Under Jean Louis leadership, Domaine Trapet has continued to thrive and has gained a reputation for producing some of the finest wines in the Gevrey-Chambertin region. Jean Louis grew up in the Gevrey-Chambertin region and has a deep understanding of the region’s terroirs and winemaking traditions. Since taking over the winery he continued the focus on producing high-quality, terroir-driven wines that reflect the character of the region. He is also mainly responsible converting the family’s vineyards into biodynamics since the mid 1990’s.
Overall, Jean Louis Trapet is a highly respected winemaker who is dedicated to producing high-quality wines that reflect the character of the Gevrey-Chambertin region. His commitment to quality and tradition have helped to establish Domaine Trapet as a leader in the world of Burgundy wine. Jean-Louis and Andrée have two sons, Pierre and Louis, who are also active in the Domaine.
Alsace Domaine
The Trapet family also owns an estate in the French Alsace region, which belonged to Jean-Louis wife Andrée and her family. Andrée decided to take over Andrée’s family’s vineyards in Alsace, in the more southerly Haut-Rhin, applying the same biodynamic disciplines as they exercise in Burgundy.
From the 2 hectares they took over in 2002 they have expanded to 14 hectares. Amongst their portfolio five notable Grand Cru’s which deliver white wines: Sonnenglanz, Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg, Sporen and Mambourg. They are based in Riquewihr, north of Colmar but also have vines in Kientzheim and Beblenheim. Schoenenbourg and Schlossberg produce Rieslings, Sporen produces Riesling and Gewürztraminer and Sonnenglanz Pinot Gris.
Although the volume from their Grand Cru’s is low (~ 14,000 bottles p/year) they are of the highest quality and a beautiful addition to the red pearls produced by Trapet in Gevrey. Next to the Grand Cru’s Trapet also produces four Village wines (from Beblenheim and Riquewihr), a regional Ox Auxerrois and a sparkling Crémant d’Alsace.
Table d’Hôtes
On our visit we got to learn more about the great wines produced by Trapet. The Trapet family offers their tastings accompanied by a meal (Table d’Hôtes) in their Chambres d’Hôtes. This Table d’Hôtes is a regional inspired meal over 3 courses that accompanies the wines.
The Chambres d’Hôtes itself deserves some extra attention. This hotel, or B&B, was originally built in the 18th century by a winemaker’s family, as a family home. It is close to Gevrey’s iconic vineyards and still has most of the original elements. Next to the house there is also a Rotisserie, an excellent restaurant.
Jean Louis Trapet bought the house around 2008 and decided to create a Chambres d’Hôtes in it, the design and architecture has been created by the famous Atelier Zero Carbone. For this project they upgraded the sleeping accommodations and turned the house into a boutique hotel. In this way guests can stay in an original winemaker’s house, either as hotel guests for the night or as guests for a tasting. The tasting and meal are served “en-group” in the big dining room in front of an old marvelous fireplace.
It is a truly beautiful total experience, in the midst of one of the most iconic wine towns in Burgundy, France or maybe even the world. Being in this small town (Gevrey has only about 3,000 inhabitants), in the middle of such great vineyards, makes you feel humble from time to time and really part of the daily life in Gevrey.
Tasting at the Table d’Hôtes
During the afternoon we sat down at the Table d’Hôtes for lunch. Paired with Trapet’s wines this was the perfect way to get a taste of Burgundy and learn more about the winery and wines. The atmosphere was very relaxed and our host (Jette van Bergen) took the time to walk us through Trapet’s history and present.
Below the menu and pairings, followed by our ratings.
- Gougères (choux pastry with comte) – Trapet’s Alsace Rieslings
- Jambon Persillé and Bio Bread – Trapet’s Village and Premier Cru Pinot Noirs
- Bœuf Bourguignon and Potato Mash – Trapet’s Grand Cru Pinot Noirs
- Comte and époises – Trapet’s Marsannay Blanc
Our ratings:
- Schlossberg Grand Cru | 2017 |Riesling | Alsace | DWA score: 92/100. Alsatian Riesling at its finest, a refined and delicate wine with wide floral aroma’s.
- Schoenenbourg Grand Cru | 2014 | Riesling | Alsace | DWA score: 94/100. Top level Alsace Grand Cru, an iconic wine with incredibly complex and full body.
- Gevrey Chambertin Village “Ostrea” | 2017 | Pinot Noir | Burgundy | DWA score: 90/100. Gevrey Chambertin Village wine made of selected parcels with old vines. Shows what the village is known for, a combination of finesse and strength.
- Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru “Clos Prieur” | 2017 | Pinot Noir | Burgundy | DWA score: 92/100. One of three Premier Cru’s Trapet owns. Smooth and generous profile with concentrated fruit.
- Gevrey Chambertin Grand Cru Chapelle | 2017 |Pinot Noir | Burgundy | DWA score: 94/100. Fine, rich and expressive, a Grand Cru that shows great terroir expression. The Chapelle vineyard is rich of old vines that were secretly uprooted secretly in the days of Phylloxera.
- Gevrey Chambertin Grand Cru Chambertin | 2014 | Pinot Noir | Burgundy | DWA score: 96/100. Le Chambertin, the one that rises above all. So famous that even the village carries its name. This is the crown jewel of the Domaine. Rich and majestic with a wide palette that never seem to get tired. Once in a life experience, unless you can afford more.
- Gevrey Chambertin Grand Cru Latricières | 2011 | Pinot Noir | Burgundy | DWA score: 93/100. This Grand Cru is special to the family and carries so much emotion. Hard work and effort have been put into this vineyard for well over a century by the Trapet’s. Dense and powerful but also a wine that needs to be cared for and treated with love.
- Marsannay Blanc | 2020 | Chardonnay | Burgundy | DWA score: 90/100. At the border of the Cote de Nuits, close to Dijon in the North, lies Marsannay. You could call it a mini appellation, with unique characteristics and diversity. Here Trapet produces a red and white Marsannay. This Marsannay Blanc is made of 100% Chardonnay. A refreshing and cool wine shaped by minerality. Produced by Trapet since 3 decades now.
A great culinary afternoon and the perfect Trapet experience! It is difficult to get a hold of Trapet’s wines, because of the limited volume and their popularity. This line-up was a perfect way to solve that problem, and some of the Grand Cru’s even got a little extra (bottle) ageing.
We would like to thank the Trapet family and Jette for their hospitality. If you feel like getting a taste of this top tier Cote de Nuits winery get in touch with Domaine Trapet directly and book your tasting lunch, we can highly recommend it.
