2020 Domaine Berthaut Fixin "Les Crais"

From: Burgundy, France Varietal: Pinot Noir About Berthaut-Gerbet. At a Glance Size: 1.4 ha (3.4 ac)Variety: Pinot NoirVine Age: Planted in 1946, 1960, 1988, 2002Terroir: Southeastern Fixin, lower on slope, alluvial soils: stony, well-draining, with some chalky rocksViticulture: Lutte raisonnéeVinification: 20% whole cluster, mostly pump-overs with some punch-downs, indigenous yeast fermentation in tank. Aged for 15 months in barrel (20% new oak). Additional Info. In 1855, Lavalle ranked les Crais a second growth.Etymology: “Crais” and its variant “Cras” do not appear to have any relation to the word craie, chalk, nor to the local patois for crow. Instead, it possibly stems from the Gallic word caracos, which meant stony hill or mass of fallen stones. (Source: Marie-Andrée Landrieu-Lussigny.) Given that the vineyard lies on alluvial sediments, namely stones rather than bedrock, this explanation makes sense.Location: Les Crais is 1.73 hectares (4.27 acres). It lies just east of the vill