2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Domaine Fourrier

An elegant, airy and exceptionally fresh nose combines notes of cassis, black cherry, humus-inflected earth and a whiff of the sauvage. The medium weight flavors are at once tighter and more powerful if less refined, all wrapped in a youthfully austere, serious and impressively persistent finish. At least some patience will be required and this too is worthy of your interest. 2025+ .

Vieille Vigne (always singular at Fourrier) is sourced from 12 different parcels, most of them on the better, western side of the route nationale. This is always a pleasure to drink, and the 2017 is no exception, with supple, scented, alluring red berry notes, some vanilla oak and a zesty finish.

12 parcels from 3 ha (7 acres), north of village, bottom of Champerrier plus a bit from Combe du Bas, planted in 1928. 10,000 vines/ha and yields of about 28 hl/ha. This came from his father, and it's a complete coincidence that it was planted in the same year as Aux Échezeaux from his mother. A third of the domaine's production. Dark and spicy on the nose and just a slight floral suggestion. Palate that is deep and dark and spicy. Super-fine texture that has both finesse and length. Dark and elegant while scented. (JH) .

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is showing beautifully in bottle, unwinding in the glass with scents of red cherries, raspberries, licorice, sweet soil tones and candied peel. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, this Gevrey displays fine depth and concentration, its ample core of fruit underpinned by ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids.

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes comes from 60-year old vines, 80-years in Champ Perrière (the minimum 40 years old). It has a clean, precise and very focused bouquet that gains intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, plenty of tart red fruit laced with cedar and graphite, leading to a pointed finish that feels persistent and classic in style. Excellent.