2015 Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Clos Saint-Jacques Cuvee Centenaire

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques "Cuvée Centenaire" comes from the oldest vines in the vineyard planted in 1910. It has a very intense bouquet with ripe redcurrant, crushed strawberry and minerals, perhaps a little more blue fruit than the regular cuvée. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin, a little chewy and quite firm in the mouth, perhaps more masculine. Although maybe the regular cuvée has a little more precision on the finish? Give this 4-5 years in bottle for it to reach its drinking plateau.

(just two barrels made; from the oldest vines in the upper two-thirds of the vineyard): Deep red. A bit wilder and darker on the nose than the Clos Saint-Jacques classique , offering scents of cassis, blueberry and violet. Superconcentrated, densely packed wine with an almost candied quality to its fruit. "Like Clos Saint-Jacques to the second power," observes Fourrier, noting that the smaller berries here are the source of this wine's greater density and length. Fourrier sells a bit of this outstanding wine ex-cellars at the same price as his other Clos Saint-Jacques, but most of it is sent to Hong Kong and Japan, where it changes hands at a significant price premium.

He made this cuvée in 2010, 2014 and 2015: the first passage from the upper side of the vineyards from the oldest vines. Just racked into tank prior to tasting. Very dark indeed. Much more aromatic and dramatic – savoury fermented prunes d’Agen. Does indeed taste like a glass of history. Very savoury and somehow preserved. Finishes dry. (JR)