2017 Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Clos Saint-Jacques Vieille Vigne

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet of mixed red and black fruit and a faint touch of tomato vine. It becomes more floral with aeration. The palate has fine structure, and there’s some clever stem addition apparent here, lending this Clos Saint-Jacques a subtle leafy character. Focused with fine weight toward the finish, this is very persistent and quite saline on the aftertaste. Reserved, but the pedigree is undeniable. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Vines planted 1910. Tiny berries. Complex aroma that is not only suggestive of small, tiny tangy cherries but also a touch of spice and just a slight floral sweetness. Quite tight on the palate but fluid at the core with that red fruit and silkiness and as it opens it seems to get a little more smoky and savoury. Very complex and hard to describe as it unfolds: many facets. Almost sour in its fluent fresh finish. Finest of tannins. (JH)