2012 - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne, Fourrier

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes comes from 0.67-hectares of vines planted in 1940. It has a very attractive bouquet with fresh raspberry, Tiptree strawberry jam, light bergamot scents and great delineation. The palate is smooth and silky. This is a more opulent take on the 2012 from Jean-Marie Fourrier, but still well defined with a harmonious, seductive finish adorned with a tang of marmalade on the aftertaste. Since yours truly screwed up his timetable and arrived promptly on the right time, the right day but the wrong week at Domaine Fourrier, it was the delightful Vicky Fourrier, Jean-Marie’s so-called “better half”, who escorted me around the 2012s. As I have written before, this address has a strong following in the UK and Europe, now also in the United States, although the exports consume such a percentage of production than Fourrier is perversely unknown in his home country. Jean-Marie’s wines have a loyal following for a reason: the quality of the wines. That comes from their treasure trove of old vine material, which is replaced through massal selection rather than clones, and Jean-Marie’s meticulous craftsmanship. “It was very warm in March, which got everything going quickly,” Vicky told me as we began tasting the 2012s directly from stainless steel vats. “Spring was cold which gave us coulure and so we already had some vines with no grapes. May was almost like summer, and then at flowering it was cold and wet, which caused millerandage that affected the old vines. But from then on, there was a high pressure of mildew and oidium, so you had to be spot on in the vineyard. But from end August it was sunny and the berries were far apart so there was no rot. There was nothing to do on the sorting table. But there were just tiny quantities, so much so that Jean-Claude, Jean-Marie’s father, was in tears as the crop came in from 21 September. We completed the harvest in 4½ days instead of seven and so we are about 50-60% down in production

The 2012 Gevrey Chambertin Cherbaudes is deep, juicy and expressive. Sweet spices, tobacco and an array of blue/blackish fruit flesh out in a juicy, beautifully expressive wine with considerable early and medium term appeal. This is one of the most polished wines in the range, and is likely to drink well with minimum cellaring.

Close to Clos de Bèze. Bright cherry red. Smooth, seductive, so so fruity nose. Very rich indeed and seductive. Beautifully polished. Really very glorious. Cool and fresh on the end. Hint of violets. (JR)