Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru
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Benjamin Leroux,
For laying down,
The most northerly Premier Cru of Gevrey, the vineyard is both high and east-facing. This lends the bouquet a mouth-watering note of crushed berry and the palate a certain severity, leading to pinpointed fruit and sculpted tannins. One to keep. Drink 2023-2029.
It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no “black sheep” in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.
It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no “black sheep” in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
For laying down,
The deeper clays here give more structure and a more robust cloak to the wine. This is in the same dip that attracted the frost in 1985 and very close to Clos Prieur, but this is a more forthright and stronger style, and will need a little longer to come round. Drink 2023-2029.
For Nicolas, with the domaine’s focus on biodynamics, this was an année calme, a welcome respite between 2016 and 2018. His biggest challenge was to manage the pruning of the canes affected by last year’s frosts, so a green harvest was necessary as well. Harvesting started on 5th September in their Beaune-Teurons. He opted for lighter extraction this year with no punchdowns, but some délestage (rack and return) for aeration. Nicolas feels the style is very close to their 2016s. It is certainly a fine range this year and proof that good vineyard work was key to success.
For Nicolas, with the domaine’s focus on biodynamics, this was an année calme, a welcome respite between 2016 and 2018. His biggest challenge was to manage the pruning of the canes affected by last year’s frosts, so a green harvest was necessary as well. Harvesting started on 5th September in their Beaune-Teurons. He opted for lighter extraction this year with no punchdowns, but some délestage (rack and return) for aeration. Nicolas feels the style is very close to their 2016s. It is certainly a fine range this year and proof that good vineyard work was key to success.
For laying down,
Sérafin’s vines sit within a clos of sorts, in what used to be a cemetery. The vines are 50 years old and the wine has an appealing fragrant top note with a touch more complexity than the village wine. Karine views this as a typical expression of Gevrey. Drink 2022-2027.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
For laying down,
This is just above Corbeaux but further towards the Combe de Lavaux, thus north-facing, although it gets sun all day. The topsoil is especially feeble and the underlying rock is very hard. Unsurprising then that the wine should offer both ripeness and precision, and very successfully. Drink 2023-2028.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
For laying down,
This fine vineyard is right behind the Sérafin cellars. There is a lovely succulence and that sense of strawberries and cream often found in Cazetiers. There’s an extra layer of new oak vanilla, but the Cazetiers character sees it through, sweet and smooth. Drink 2023-2029.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
The harvest was done early and quickly here, starting on 6th September and finished by 12th. Karine Sérafin explained that the estate was harvesting earlier than before, to keep more freshness in the wines, and also working more with leaf coverage. The old vines negated any need to green harvest and yields are up by only 20 percent from 2016, but otherwise Karine and her cousin Frédérique are intent on preserving the individuality of Christian Sérafin’s style for vins de garde, with 100 percent new oak for everything upwards from the Gevrey Vieilles Vignes.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
For laying down,
Pure, bright purple, displaying some floral notes along with the dark red fruit. Very smooth with a long finish and a silky texture, a beautifully graceful wine. This demonstrates clearly that the cooler damper years are better for Petite Chapelle.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
It was difficult at the start and difficult at the end but OK in between”, says Nicolas, who began harvesting on 6th October. Younger vines flowered better, giving more volume than 2012, and only the Beaune vineyards were hailed on. There were no grave problems with rot, and they avoided heavy extraction as the colour came easily enough. Nicolas noted that cool vintages such as 2013 are best for terroir definition, and certainly the hallmark of his wines this year is elegance, and precision.
Domaine de la Vougeraie,
For laying down,
Pure, pale colour, this is quite stylish with lovely gunflint and more character than we have ever seen before. Juicy and mineral, it makes one salivate, filled with really pretty white fruit. Well worth looking at.
The domaine has developed its white wine holdings, with four new cuvées this year, arising out of Boisset’s purchase of Vincent Girardin’s business. Girardin had farming arrangements in Puligny- Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet Champ Gain Premier Cru, Bienvenues-Bâtard- Montrachet Grand Cru and a tiny holding of Chevalier-Montrachet: Monsieur Boisset has now bought these vineyards. As well as these excellent whites, Pierre Vincent considers 2014 to be one of his best red wine vintages, with something in common with 2006 and 2010.
The domaine has developed its white wine holdings, with four new cuvées this year, arising out of Boisset’s purchase of Vincent Girardin’s business. Girardin had farming arrangements in Puligny- Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet Champ Gain Premier Cru, Bienvenues-Bâtard- Montrachet Grand Cru and a tiny holding of Chevalier-Montrachet: Monsieur Boisset has now bought these vineyards. As well as these excellent whites, Pierre Vincent considers 2014 to be one of his best red wine vintages, with something in common with 2006 and 2010.
Domaine de la Vougeraie,
For laying down,
Bronze medal winner at the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards
Glorious purple, the nose is layered with deliciously rich cherries, more fruit than stems. There is an appealing structure to this, dancing heady fruit and good freshness. A fine vineyard, well interpreted.
The domaine has developed its white wine holdings, with four new cuvées this year, arising out of Boisset’s purchase of Vincent Girardin’s business. Girardin had farming arrangements in Puligny- Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet Champ Gain Premier Cru, Bienvenues-Bâtard- Montrachet Grand Cru and a tiny holding of Chevalier-Montrachet: Monsieur Boisset has now bought these vineyards. As well as these excellent whites, Pierre Vincent considers 2014 to be one of his best red wine vintages, with something in common with 2006 and 2010.
Glorious purple, the nose is layered with deliciously rich cherries, more fruit than stems. There is an appealing structure to this, dancing heady fruit and good freshness. A fine vineyard, well interpreted.
The domaine has developed its white wine holdings, with four new cuvées this year, arising out of Boisset’s purchase of Vincent Girardin’s business. Girardin had farming arrangements in Puligny- Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet Champ Gain Premier Cru, Bienvenues-Bâtard- Montrachet Grand Cru and a tiny holding of Chevalier-Montrachet: Monsieur Boisset has now bought these vineyards. As well as these excellent whites, Pierre Vincent considers 2014 to be one of his best red wine vintages, with something in common with 2006 and 2010.
Louis Boillot,
For laying down,
Made using tiny berries, this is Louis’ most concentrated wine in 2014. A rich, magisterial purple, with plump, ripe, dark fruit, this is extremely pure. Despite the concentration, the wine remains very fresh and crunchy behind: ripe, vivacious and impressive.
The good thing about having a domaine shared between Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits is that you are unlikely to sustain hail damage in every vineyard in any given vintage. The bad thing is that your Côte de Beaune vineyards will have suffered three years in a row. So this year we concentrate on Gevrey-Chambertin, where Louis’s results are excellent in 2014.
The good thing about having a domaine shared between Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits is that you are unlikely to sustain hail damage in every vineyard in any given vintage. The bad thing is that your Côte de Beaune vineyards will have suffered three years in a row. So this year we concentrate on Gevrey-Chambertin, where Louis’s results are excellent in 2014.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
For laying down,
A mid-purple colour, this has plumper fruit on the nose, concentrated dark cherries. Again the wine has a fine and balanced structure, stylish and persistent. A little bit tight in its youth, but we really quite like this.
Nicolas and David Rossignol began the harvest on 22nd September, picking over eight days. Yields were up, the grapes were ripe, but some sorting was necessary after a little hail in Beaune and some Suzukiengendered rot in the lower vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin. They are very pleased with their new Pellenc de-stemmer which leaves the berries intact, while continuing to use a percentage of whole bunches as well.
Nicolas and David Rossignol began the harvest on 22nd September, picking over eight days. Yields were up, the grapes were ripe, but some sorting was necessary after a little hail in Beaune and some Suzukiengendered rot in the lower vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin. They are very pleased with their new Pellenc de-stemmer which leaves the berries intact, while continuing to use a percentage of whole bunches as well.
For laying down,
Corbeaux always gives a lighter colour, with more finesse and less obvious intensity. It is all there though, thanks to the old vines dating back to 1920. There is a sweetness to the fruit, and an almost ethereal style.
The joy of this domaine is Denis Bachelet’s mastery of pure fruit from ancient vines in his various locations around the village. Denis has recently changed barrel supplier to enhance further the finesse of his wines and in 2014 has employed a slightly lighter extraction. Even so there is a magical concentration to his wines.
The joy of this domaine is Denis Bachelet’s mastery of pure fruit from ancient vines in his various locations around the village. Denis has recently changed barrel supplier to enhance further the finesse of his wines and in 2014 has employed a slightly lighter extraction. Even so there is a magical concentration to his wines.
Olivier Bernstein,
For laying down,
Glowing purple in colour, the 2014 Cazetiers has a very fine crisp and classy bouquet, with some dark redcurrant fruit and ripe, red cherries, presented with a formidable sense of precision. There is marvellous concentration and weight throughout, leading to a very long finish with class and refinement. Where Les Champeaux has tightness and minerality, Les Cazetiers has power and weight of fruit. The flesh in the finish promises that this will evolve into a real beauty.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Olivier Bernstein,
For laying down,
Offering a unique opportunity to taste Bernstein’s range of excellent Premiers Crus from the 2014 vintage, this six-bottle case contains two bottles of each of the following:
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Lavrottes, 1er Cru
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, 1er Cru
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, 1er Cru
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Lavrottes, 1er Cru
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Champeaux, 1er Cru
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, 1er Cru
Olivier Bernstein,
For laying down,
Les Champeaux offers a fine, bright purple colour with good depth. There is a wilder bouquet to this wine compared to the Chambolle-Musigny; it’s tightly knit and mineral-infused, while a lovely structural thread supports the vibrant red fruit. The impression is of smaller, more compact berry notes and fine quality oak provides depth and added dimension. The cool site of Les Champeaux always contributes to the marvellous texture of this wine.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer
Domaine Joseph Faiveley,
For laying down,
Faiveley has brought the yields down here, now obtaining intensity while retaining seduction. This is bright purple in colour with a lively seductive nose; there are some black fruit notes, quite a strict savoury character and good tannins behind to keep the wine complex. The finish is persistent.
Erwan Faiveley believes that 2014 would be regarded as a great vintage – if only 2015 had not come along to trump it. He feels that the changes which have taken place in the cellar since 2007 have had a discernible effect on the quality of Faiveley wines, while similar qualitative changes in the vineyard are only now bearing fruit. Here, balanced but restricted yields are the key.
Erwan Faiveley believes that 2014 would be regarded as a great vintage – if only 2015 had not come along to trump it. He feels that the changes which have taken place in the cellar since 2007 have had a discernible effect on the quality of Faiveley wines, while similar qualitative changes in the vineyard are only now bearing fruit. Here, balanced but restricted yields are the key.
Domaine de la Vougeraie,
For laying down,
The youngest vines here date back to 1964, planted by Monsieur Boisset himself. This is an incredibly graceful wine all the way through, from its pale pink-purple colour, through the delicate yet intense floral nose, to the swelling fruit in the middle and the exceptionally persistent finish. Drink 2020-2027.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
This year Pierre Vincent has been able to achieve his aim of an ideal barrel rotation. Each of these wines has been matured in one-third new wood, one-third one-year-old and one-third two-year-old. Because of the exceptional health of the grapes in 2015, he has also been able to vinify all the wines without de-stemming. His 2015 reds are wines of grace and elegance, while the white wines (picked from 28th August) have an impressive tension alongside a concentration of fruit.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
This year Pierre Vincent has been able to achieve his aim of an ideal barrel rotation. Each of these wines has been matured in one-third new wood, one-third one-year-old and one-third two-year-old. Because of the exceptional health of the grapes in 2015, he has also been able to vinify all the wines without de-stemming. His 2015 reds are wines of grace and elegance, while the white wines (picked from 28th August) have an impressive tension alongside a concentration of fruit.
Louis began his harvest on 28th August on his earlier Côte de Beaune vineyards and enjoyed bright sunshine throughout the harvest, which ended nine days later. He volunteers that there is less structure than in 2016 but he likes the fruity, gourmand style. This year he looked for freshness and aromatics. “Quatorze degrés n’est pas Pinot,” says Louis (“14 degrees [of alcohol] is not Pinot”). He will bottle earlier, without fining or filtration, as usual. A very pretty range this year, delicious and pure.