2019 Charles Van Canneyt 'les Sentiers' 1er cru - Chambolle-Musigny, FRANCE. 750ml
The wines he is producing, both from the domaine and through this négoce business, are simply spellbinding. Neal Martin commented that, under Van Canneyt, “ domaine is really ratcheting up the quality… there are rich pickings across the range, the village crus some of the finest that I encountered across all my tastings.” Neal Martin’s effusive praise also extends to the winemaker’s new venture: “Charles Van Canneyt proved himself a winemaker par excellence courtesy of both his work at Hudelot-Noëllat and the first wine I have tasted from his new namesake négociant label.”
Using his considerable reputation and influence, Charles Van Canneyt’s négociant business specialises in sourcing tiny quantities from the very best sites, including Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, Chevalier Montrachet and many more of the most famous Grands Crus and Premier Crus. Wines are made in minuscule quantities of one, two, maybe four barrels in some cases, so they tend to remain under-the-radar, un-scored and largely unseen - yet they are simply unmissable. Charles Van Canneyt’s wines expand his offering without duplicating Hudelot-Noëllat’s range, effectively offering the same quality from alternative appellations.
After speaking with Charles about how the négoce wines compare with the domaine wines, he explains that the wines are very personal to him. After the success made of the domaine, he is keen to make a mark under his own name: “They’re two completely different things. At the domaine, it’s family, I work for my grandparents. This, is something for me.”
Vinification follows the hugely successful Hudelot-Noëllat template: exacting care and attention, limited extraction, sensible oak policy and an emphasis on purity, depth of flavour and what Van Canneyt calls "a classic style".
