Domaine Fourrier : Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru "Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes" 2023

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 from Domaine Fourrier

Tasting

Color

The wine shows a deep, bright ruby robe, a hallmark of pinot noir fruit drawn from mature, old vines.

Nose

The nose is typically built around ripe red and black fruit – black cherry, raspberry, and blueberry – layered with delicate violet and floral nuances. With aeration, subtle spice notes emerge alongside a fine mineral undertone that reflects the character of the Cherbaudes climat.

Palate

On the palate, the style associated with this cuvée is medium-bodied and silky, with finely woven tannins and a lively backbone of acidity. The finish tends to be long and precise, carrying the mineral signature of the clay-limestone soils of Cherbaudes.

Food and wine pairings

This cuvée pairs naturally with roasted or braised meats, such as roast chicken or guinea fowl, and works equally well with braised beef dishes built on rich pan juices. It also complements delicate game birds prepared simply, as well as soft-ripened cheeses and firm, aged cooked-pressed cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

The Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 is best served at a cool cellar temperature, around 16–18°C, to allow its aromatic layers to unfold gradually. Thanks to the fine tannic structure drawn from vines planted in 1940, this wine has the backbone to reward patient cellaring, though no official drinking window has been specified for this particular vintage.

Other characteristics

This cuvée comes from vines planted in 1940, vinified using only native yeasts and bottled without filtration. It is aged on fine lees for about 18 months, with roughly 15% new oak, in keeping with Domaine Fourrier's minimal-intervention approach.

A Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Shaped by the Old Vines and Clay-Limestone Soils of Cherbaudes

The Estate

Domaine Fourrier takes its current name from 1992, when Jean-Claude Fourrier was joined by his children, Jean-Marie and Isabelle, at the family property in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Today the estate farms around 10 hectares across Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis, and Vougeot, under the direction of Jean-Marie Fourrier, alongside his wife Vicki, his sister Isabelle, and his son Louis. Domaine Fourrier is recognized for its old vines, herbicide-free viticulture, and minimal-intervention winemaking.

The Vineyard

The Cherbaudes climat is a compact, roughly 3-hectare Premier Cru plot in Gevrey-Chambertin, bordered by the Grand Crus Mazis-Chambertin and Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze. Domaine Fourrier farms about 0.67 hectares within this climat, planted in 1940, on deep, clay-limestone soil with red earth and relatively few stones. The east-facing orientation allows the vines to capture morning sunlight while avoiding the harshest afternoon heat, resulting in wines that are generally rounder and more supple than those from higher-altitude crus in the village.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Cherbaudes Vieilles Vignes" 2023 are fermented using only native yeasts, with manual punching down to ensure a gentle, measured extraction. The wine is aged for about 18 months on its lees, without racking or filtration, in barrels with roughly 15% new oak. A portion of the blend may also rest in alternative vessels, such as amphorae, stainless steel, or glass, a practice the estate uses to preserve freshness and tension in warmer vintages.

Grape Varieties

100% pinot noir.