2010 - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques Vieille Vigne, Fourrier

I probably have not tasted the 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru since it was first released. It puts in an impressive showing - eclipsing the 2009 with ease. Wonderful delineation and mineral expression on the nose; this is very finessed with subtle blood orange/mandarin scents percolating through with time. The palate is very well defined with a dash of white pepper on the entry, taut and linear, with clove towards the vivacious finish. Superb. Drinking perfectly now. Tasted at the Southwold Burgundy dinner at Hatched restaurant.

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques comes across as quite feminine in this vintage. Graphite, dark red berries, plums and licorice are all woven together gracefully in this expressive, impeccable wine. The tannins show a satin-like finesse that is striking. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. The biggest news at Domaine Fourrier is Jean-Marie Fourrier’s decision to launch a small negociant operation to augment his estate wines. Readers can look forward to new bottlings from the 1er Cru Aux Exchanges in Chambolle-Musigny and two new Grand Cru wines from Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux, all of which will debut with the 2011 vintage. As for 2010, Fourrier told me he is down 40% across the board in terms of yields. The cold weather during the flowering produced 100% millerandage (shot berries), which Fourrier described as pea-sized grapes. While that is not good for quantity, it has certainly turned out great for quality. Readers who want to learn more about Fourrier’s thoughts on the vintage and approach to vinification might want to check out my video interview on www.erobertparker.com. As a quick note, none of the 2010s had been racked at the time of my visit in early December 2011. I have kept scores a bit wider than normal in the few cases where the wines were a touch reduced. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

Berries from five to eight millimetres in diameter. Looks very bright crimson. Serious and complex. Lovely density of fruit – real energy and purity. Great line here. Majestic. Very fresh. Indubitably grand cru quality. (JR)