The wines of Jean-Marie Fourrier, Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey Chambertin, Burgundy

The wines of Jean-Marie Fourrier, Burgundy
Wonderfully natural wines from Gevrey Chambertin

Jean-Marie Fourrier took over his family domaine in 1994, at the age of 23. He’d been working there since 1989, and during this time had completed internships with Henri Jayer and Domaine Drouhin Oregon.

He farms just over 8 hectares, most of which are in Gevrey, and is lucky enough to be working with some very old vines. He destems (he doesn’t use whole bunches at all) but doesn’t crush, and there is no cold maceration before fermentation, which is with indigenous yeasts. Extraction is light, with manual pigeage. Around 20% new oak is used (just enough to ensure rotation of barrels), and there is no racking. Sulfur dioxide use is minimal, both during vinification and at bottling: this is achieved by rigorous selection of grapes before fermentation.

These are very natural tasting wines, and I like them a lot.

THE WINES

Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 2007
Quite savoury with a nice spicy elegance to the cherry fruit, and just a hint of animal. Fine with some elegance and nice fresh cherry fruit, as well as a bit of structure. 92/100

Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes 2007
There’s a hint of earth and spice to the cherry fruit nose. The palate is lively and fresh with lovely purity and elegance to the fruit, as well as some earthy, sappy notes and a slight metallic tingle on the finish. Lovely expressive fruit here. 94/100

Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots 2007
Fresh, leafy edge to the nose, which shows very pure, elegant cherry fruit. The palate has hints of earth and spice but it’s actually supremely elegant and pure, with fine structure and great purity and length. Just beautiful. 95/100

Domaine Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots 2006
Some sweetness to the pure cherry fruit nose. Subtle, sappy earthy notes too. The palate is fresh with nice silky structure under the pure cherry fruit as well as a hint of spiciness on the finish. Great focus and purity. Beautiful. 95/100

These wines are available from Clark Foyster in the UK, among others.