David Duband Côte de Nuits-Village Rouge 2021

David Duband works from the northern Côte-d'Or, where his family sold grapes for generations before he trained at the Oenology School in Beaune and turned to making wine. The Côte de Nuits-Village appellation gathers vineyards at either end of the Côte de Nuits, planted on limestone and marl slopes that suit Pinot Noir. The soils are farmed organically, and the region's cool continental climate with a wide day to night temperature swing preserves acidity and slows ripening, which keeps the fruit fresh and the tannins fine. The wine spends fourteen months in oak barrels and two months in stainless steel; the barrel time softens the tannins through slow oxygen exchange and adds a light spice and vanilla frame without covering the fruit. It shows a medium ruby colour, a nose of strawberry, cherry and red currant with rose and forest floor behind, and a palate that is bright and savoury with a gentle grip and a clean red-fruited finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees in a large bowled glass, ideally after a short time open. Good with roast duck, guinea fowl or a mushroom-based dish.