Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Pierre Duroché eschewed the use of new wood on his Grands Crus in 2018, allowing the fruit of the vintage to express itself. Sourced from a 0.25ha parcel right next to Chambertin itself, this is a classically chalky, focused, pithy, refreshing style showing juicy wild strawberry and red cherry fruit, subtle whole bunch spice and a long, mouthwatering finish. One of a series of very impressive wines from this talented young vigneron.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deeper-pitched than the ethereal, charming 2017, the 2018 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru unwinds in the glass with aromas of wild berries, cassis and black raspberries, complemented by rich bass notes of licorice, loamy soil and black truffles. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, it's layered and elegantly muscular, with more tannin and fruit than the 2017 or even the 2015, all the while remaining controlled—indeed, in the context of the vintage, even restrained. This is a superb proposition for the cellar, but now is not the time to be opening bottles.
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.