2012 Gevrey Chambertin

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin bursts from the glass with energy and tons of pure salinity, both in support of expressive dark black fruit, crushed rocks, mint, licorice and spices. Bright floral notes give the 2012 much of its focus. I very much like the sense of tension and vibrancy. There is a lot to look forward to. In 2012, the village Gevrey is 2/3rds Carougeot plus dollops of Bel Air and Fontenys.

There are three parcels of vine that constitute the 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, including some premier cru fruit that Bruno remarked lends the cuvee its finesse. The nose is dainty, light and pure with tertiary red fruit – perhaps just a little sulky at the moment, but the palate is very well balanced, elegant and refined with a long red berry and iodine-tinged finish. I would not ask any more from a Gevrey village. It was a balmy, sunny June morning when I last visited Domaine Bruno Clair to take a peek at their 2011s, but it was different arriving to taste their 2012s, the mercury struggling above zero, snow draped over vines. It was a pleasure to meet Bruno and Philippe Brun again, the “Batman and Robin” of Marsannay, Bruno sporting his favorite lumberjack jacket ready to cut down a few trees. At least he was warm. After some reminiscing about his good friend Patrick Bize, we set about the new arrivals. The 2012s were picked between 20 September and 1 October. His village crus are raised in new oak until racking in early September and then transferred into 15-hectolitre foudres to moderate the impact of the wood. Usually they de-stem the entire crop, but the ripeness of the stems meant that his top crus include 20% whole cluster this year. They both seemed enthusiastic about the vintage and rightly so – this is a domaine that shifted up a gear and vies for the village’s leading domaine (even though their Gevrey holdings make the synonymous with the village further south.) Bruno and Philippe just appear to have found the knack of creating wines with finesse and character, a more prudent approach that has fostered more terroir-driven Pinot Noirs. Their Clos Saint Jacques was once and “also ran”. Now it is up there with the likes of Fourrier and Rousseau. Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; tel. (708) 343-6702, The Source, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 621-6151. Also through Justerini & Brooks and other merchants in the UK.

There are three parcels of vine that constitute the 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, including some premier cru fruit that Bruno remarked lends the cuvee its finesse. The nose is dainty, light and pure with tertiary red fruit – perhaps just a little sulky at the moment, but the palate is very well balanced, elegant and refined with a long red berry and iodine-tinged finish. I would not ask any more from a Gevrey village. Dec 2013, www.robertparker.com