Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne, Burgundy

An introduction to Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne, Burgundy

Cherbaudes is a Premier Cru climat located in Gevrey-Chambertin, in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits appellation, planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. The vineyard rests atop a limestone bedrock. The free-draining nature of the limestone soils forces the vines to grow deeper roots in search of water, leading to reduced yields but producing highly concentrated berries. The vineyard’s position at the bottom of the Côte d'Or slope gives sufficient exposure to the rising sun to encourage good development of phenols and sugars. The Cherbaudes wines tend to be softer and less concentrated than those from vineyards higher on the hill. The age of the eponymous ‘Vieilles Vignes’ (old vines) translates into concentrated flavours and aromas that reflect the characteristics of the terroir.

Performance

Understanding Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne, Burgundy

Comprising of 100% Pinot Noir, Les Cherbaudes Vieilles Vigne are exemplary of the domaine’s pure and silky Pinot Noir style, the result of a process wherein the grapes are carefully destemmed and not crushed prior to fermentation, limiting the extraction of colour and tannins from the skins. Though Jean-Marie Fourrier’s approach has several crossovers with biodynamic production, it has not officially been labelled as such. The wine is matured in 20% new oak before bottling 18 months following the harvest. Jasper Morris MW has lauded the fidelity of the wines in their translation of the character of their provenance, awarding the 2018 vintage a score of 93-96/100.

Price Index