At 35 years old, if you are a Burgundian working for an oil company in America, what would you do?
For Chantal Tortochot-Michel, the answer was simple. At 35, she decided to bid farewell to the stressful environment in large American corporations as a financier within an oil company; and went on to study at Dijon Wine University, where she eventually graduated from and took over her family estate as the 4th generation owner. That was back in late 1990s – and Chantal Tortochot-Michel was, back then, one of the only three female winemakers in Burgundy. Since then, she bore the stress of keeping up to high standards and living up to family reputation. Stress obviously carry different meanings for different people.
Domaine Tortochot was first founded by Paul Tortochot, the great grand-father of current owner Chantal Tortochot-Michel. Dedicated exclusively to Pinot Noir, the Gevrey-Chambertin based wine estate comprises of 12 hectares spread over 34 separate parcels. Gevrey-Chambertin apart, they also craft wines from Clos de Vougeot and Morey St Denis. In terms of viticulture, they practice high-density low-height farming, and dedicate their efforts in masterful pruning, which allow them to manage yield.
As one of the founding members of Femmes et Vins de Bourgogne in 2000, Chantal Tortochot-Michel not only actively supported women of Burgundy and their professional growth, she also worked closely with another talented winemaker in the area: Sylvain Pataille. Sylvain Pataille, a celebrated winemaker in his own right – has been consultant winemaker for Domaine Tortochot for 20 years, working alongside Chantal Tortochot, who has a real energy and honesty to her approach. Recently they have reduced the use of new oak and introduced a proportion of whole-bunch fermentation, both to counter and better complement the ripeness of warmer vintages.
Tortochot’s wine style
In Jasper Morris’ terms, Chantal’s “skillful winemaking has produced a range of lively, inexpensive, fruit-laden wines which are accessible, young and yet promise to develop well over several years.” In Chantal Tortochot-Michel’s own words, “Here we make a more traditional Gevrey Chambertin, with lots of fruit, strong tannins and good acidity.”
What to try from Tortochot?
Some of the must trys are their premier cru bottling Lavaux St Jacques (that borders the famous Clos Saint-Jacques) and Champeaux and if you have a special occasion to celebrate, try their Chambertin Grand Cru. If you are searching for superior value, their Mazis-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin offer a relatively affordable price point for those wishing to pry into Chantal Tortochot-Michel’s elegant, gentle way to coax complexity from Grand Cru terroir.
Source: http://burgundybeyond.com/, Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy