Domaine Bertagna Tasting with Eva Reh
at Yono's Restaurant, Albany, NY, 4/30/2018


My friend Adrian Chiota invited me to this tasting with Eva Reh whose family owns Domaine Bertagna. Eva is the Proprietor and Manager of the domaine. Adrian is the Sales Director at Independence Wines and Spirits (IWS), which is the regional (NY/NJ) distributor for Esprit du Vin, the US importer of Bertagna's wines.

Domaine Bertagna once belonged to the Cistercian monks who created the Clos de Vougeot. The domaine is located in Vougeot on Rue du Vieux Château in front of the Les Cras vineyard. It was originally put together by Claude Bertagna, an Algerian born businessman, in the 1950s. Eva's family purchased the domaine from Monsieur Bertagna in 1982 and Eva began running it in 1988. The domaine owns vines in 18 distinct climats including seven Premier Crus and five Grand Crus. Her family members have been winemakers in Trier, Germany, for generations. In particular, her father bought Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt in the Mosel Valley in 1978.

The tasting ran from about 5:30 to about 7:30. The current releases are the 2016 which were all opened around noon. The older wines were all opened about 4:30. Delicious apps were served.

Click on any image with a border for a larger view of that image, and in many cases more image.

Stephen Lopez, local sales rep for IWS,
presents the Jacquart Champagne:

Most of the wines we'll be tasting:


Starter

Flight 1: The Whites

Flight 2: Chambolle-Musigny Les Plantes
The domaine owns 0.23 hectares (0.57 acres) of vines in this Premier Cru. They use temperature-controlled fermentation for 15 to 21 days. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new.
Flight 3: Vougeot Les Cras
From 0.60 hectares (1.5 acres) of Pinot Noir in this Premier Cru vineyard that abuts the northern boundary of Clos Vougeot just behind the winery. Completely destemmed before temperature-controlled fermentation using natural yeasts from the grapes. Aged 15 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new.
Flight 4: Vougeot Clos de la Perrière
Clos de la Perrière is a monopole owned by Domaine Bertagna. It consists of 2.26 hectares (5.6 acres) of Pinot Noir that abuts the northern boundary of Clos Vougeot west of Le Cras.
Flight 5: Big Finish!


People Photos

Eva Reh tells us about her Domaine Bertagna wines:

Jared and Adrian chat with Eva:

Heather Chestnut of Chez Nous in Schenectady, Stephen Lopez of IWS,
Buddy Foy of The Chateau on the Lake in Bolton Landing:

Buddy Foy and Paul Parker of The Chateau on the Lake:


Food Photos

Yono's brought out a steady stream of tasty apps:


Conclusion

These are quality wines worth seeking out that don't seem to have gotten much notice in the US.

Notes posted from CellarTracker.

 

 

 


All original content © Ken Vastola