With winemaking roots dating back to the 16th century, brothers Nicolas and David Rossignol of Domaine Rossignol-Trapet have given their family vineyard a new lease on life.

Turning a new ‘leaf’ for Nicolas and David meant shifting from conventional vineyard management to more natural, biodynamic vineyard management. The brothers had begun to question their reliance upon traditional, chemical weaponry used to battle typical threats of insects and diseases in the vineyard.

Then in the early 1990’s when the ‘new’ domaine was created (following the division of the old Domaine Trapet between Jean Trapet and his sister, wife of Jacques Rossignol of Volnay) – the Rossignol brothers began experimenting with bio-dynamic practices.

Broadly speaking, biodynamic farming is based on a simple principal that the earth itself is a living organism.  Because biodiversity takes place on multiple levels, from microbiological life in to the soil, the cropping systems of the grapes to the vegetation and animals that inhabit the land, biodynamism tries to bring these natural influences into harmony.

The impetus behind Rossignol-Trapet's change from traditional vineyard practices wasn’t to save money on viticultural methods nor to necessarily make better wines since the quality of their wine was never at issue. The shift came out of a concern over worker safety, water purity and the long-term vitality of the land. In order to preserve the land and ensure its health for future generations, something had to change.

First came the shift to organic farming methods that work in concert with the environment. This entailed replacing chemicals, such as fertilizers or herbicides with naturally derived products like manure, a base of plants (dandelion, horse-tail) and silica to reinforce the development of the vines and stimulate their natural defenses against pests and mildew. The belief behind this is that by nurturing and feeding the soil, the vines in turn pass along optimal nutrients to the fruit, yielding stronger, clearer, more vibrant flavours that will make wines with longer ageability.

Aside from caring for the soils, the Rossignol-Trapet brothers also practice high density planting (from 11 to 12,500 vines per hectare) to encourage competition for nutrients among the vines . This competition forces the roots to push deep into the soil in their struggle for nutrients, ultimately contributing to wines of complexity and character.

“The goal is to be proactive in the vineyard and taking care of the land is the most precious. Bio-dynamic farming has resulted in wines (particularly pinot noirs) that are so intense even though minimal extractions are used to preserve aromatic finesse and elegance. The vines can come and go, but the land will always stay,” says Nicolas Rossignol. “It’s my responsibility to cultivate it and leave it better than I found it for the generations to come.”

Not losing tradition in its entirety, the domaine uses accrued knowledge handed down for generations; everything is picked by hand and only the ripest and healthiest bunches are selected. Classical vinification methods such as partial destalking of the pinot noir grapes and maceration of the wine on its skins for 9 - 14 days persist. The must is tasted every day to determine the best time to stop fermentation. Wines are barrel-aged in French oak for anywhere from 14 to 18 months and concluded by gravity induced racking.

Like all great Burgundy makers Domaine Rossignol-Trapet aims to fully express their remarkable terroir, which include prime sites in Chambertin, Latricieres-Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin and Beaune Premier Cru Teurons.

All of the estate vineyards have been cultivated bio-dynamically since 2004, receiving certification from EcoCert in 2005.

To complement the elegant wines from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, Chef Leitgeb of Les Amis created a delectable menu rich in textures and flavours. A reflection of the season was present with warm chanterelle mushrooms accompanying Obsiblue prawns and then finishing with a rich, yet refreshing cherry ice cream. In short, the food and wine combinations were magnifique!

Wines tasted:

2007 Rossignol-Trapet, Gevrey-Chambertin, Etelois

Purple in colour, medium-bodied with a burst of black cherry on the nose. Great concentration of mixed berry and cherry fruit on the palate with a hint of minerality and lifting acidity. Side notes: Hails from a single vineyard site of rocky soils.

2007 Rossignol-Trapet, Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle 1er Cru

Purple in colour, medium-bodied and very refined with brambly/red fruits both on the bouquet and palate. Full of generous flavour without being overpowering. Soft mouth-feel with fine tannins and lively finish.

2007 Rossignol-Trapet, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru

Purple in colour, medium-bodied. Notes of violet and black cherry carried through on the palate. Very elegant in structure and flavour. Balanced acidity with an extended finish. Side notes: Deep clay soils with strong winds from the valley resulted in longer maturity.

2007 Rossignol-Trapet, Chapelle-Chambertin, Grand Cru

Purple in colour, medium-bodied with bountiful flavours of cherry and stewed strawberry. Pleasing acidity and a nice hint of earthiness on the graceful finish. Side notes: Hails from a single vineyard site of thin, rocky soils.

So, here’s to old roots (both the family and the vines) and the winds of change brought by the future of the bio-dynamic Rossignol-Trapet wines!

Domaine Rossignol-Trapet wines are distributed by Vinum Fine Wines and can also be enjoyed at Les Amis, Au Jardin and Bistro du Vin.

Contributed by Danielle Thompson