Domaine Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys 2008
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Roty 2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys represents a jump in ripeness, textural allure, and complexity over the non-cru Gevreys that preceded it in this year’s line-up. Ripe dark berries, black pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg scent the nose and occupy a subtly creamy, palpably dense palate. Smoked meat, black tea, fruit pit, and caramelized, singed manifestations of fruit skin add complexity in a bright, chalk-dusted, focused finish. Follow it for at least a dozen years.
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Wine Spectator
Sweet spices and a touch of sawdust on the nose introduce this vivid red, which shows solid cherry and berry flavors that have volume. Finishes with a firm, juicy impression. Best from 2013 through 2022.
Since 1710 the family have been based in Gevrey. The current "reputation" of Domaine Joseph Roty was down to Joseph himself, not just the comments of Remington and Clive, but also the quality of domaine's highly sought-after wines, wines mainly produced from old and in some cases some very, very old vines – tres vieilles vignes if you prefer!
Joseph started the core of today's domaine in the late 1960s with vines that came from his grandfather, vines that included Mazy (they spell like Rousseau), Griotte and Charmes-Chambertin grand crus.
Joseph was lost to this world in 2008, and although widow Roty still works behind the scenes, it is the sons of Joseph – Philippe and Pierre-Jean – the 11th generation at this family domaine that do the heavy stuff while a 12th generation are playing in the yard. Philippe had anyway being working progressively more with his father since about 1990 – there is very little that has been changed.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
This small village is home to the Grands Crus in the farthest northerly stretches of Côte de Nuits and is famous for some of the deepest and firmest Burgundian Pinot Noir.
Gevrey boasts nine Grands Crus, the best of which are arguably Le Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. As with all of the fragmented vineyards of Burgundy, it isn’t easy to differentiate between the two, which are situated adjacent with Clos de Bèze slightly further up the hill than Le Chambertin. Clos de Bèze has a shallower soil and if you’re really counting, may produce wines less intense but more likely to charm. Some compare Le Chambertin in both power and plentitude only to the prized Romanée-Conti Grand Cru farther south in Vosne-Romanée.
Two other Grands Crus vineyards, Mazis-Chambertin (also written Mazy-) and Latricières-Chambertin command almost as much regard as Le Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. The upper part of Mazy, called Les Mazis Haut is the best and Latricières-Chambertin offers an abundance of juicy fruit and a silky texture in the warmer vintages.
Other Grands Crus are Ruchottes-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Mazoyères-Chambertin, Griotte-Chambertin and Chapelle-Chambertin.
The most respected Pinot Noir wines from Gevrey-Chambertin are robust and powerful but at the same time, velvety and expressive: black fruit, black liquorice and chocolate come into play. After some time in the bottle, the wines are harmonious with bright and sometimes candied fruit, and aromas of musk, truffle and forest floor. These have staying power.