Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Bel Air” Reviews

Like the Les Cras, this too is firmly reduced and revealing nothing on the nose at present. The racy and more refined, if slightly less concentrated, medium-bodied flavors also brim with minerality on the balanced, long and less overtly austere finale though there is a trace. Lovely.

 A very fresh and mildly sauvage noseoffers up mostly dark berry fruit scents that are deftly trimmed in just enough wood to
warrant remarking upon. There is good punch and detail to the overtly stony and delicious middle weight flavors that
possess a seductive mid-palate yet the finish tightens up quickly as it displays hints of both austerity and rusticity.
This balanced effort is richer than the En Foule but interestingly, it’s a bit less complex, at least at present.

 Healthy bright red. Musky red fruits plus a hint of game on the nose. Quite sweet and silky but the flavors of red fruits, dried rose, pepper and spices are given shape by pungent saline minerality. Finishes juicy and quite firm, with lovely lingering red fruit and spice flavors. Really communicates the crunchiness of the vintage's better examples but will need time to unfold.

A deft but not invisible touch of wood sets off fresh aromas of red and blue berry fruit aromas, kirsch, humus and plenty of forest floor nuances. The fleshy and round, even succulent middle weight flavors exude a fine minerality on the mouth coating finish that while delicious lacks the same sense of vibrancy and refreshing acidity.

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Bel Air shows the wilder side of Gevrey. The aromas and flavors aren’t quite as well-defined as they are in the other Gevreys in the lineup. Maybe time will help soften some of the contours that mark the wine’s personality at present. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. This is stunning set of wines from Pierre Vincent and Domaine de la Vougeraie. It is impossible to miss the attention to detail at this impeccably run domaine. No expense is spared. It takes 80 people to work the vineyards during harvest and another 20 in the cellar to take it from there. Production in 2010 was of course down significantly as it was everywhere else. Yields came in at 24 hectoliters per hectare for the Pinot and 29 for the Chardonnay. Vincent used between 30-80% whole bunches, depending on the wine. Readers who want to learn more might want to check out my video interview with Pierre Vincent on www.erobertparker.com. I will report on the domaine’s 2009s in the April issue. For now let me just say the 2009 Musigny is one of the wines of the vintage.

This is slightly more complex than the La Vigne en Foule but less elegant and the pretty and pure red berry fruit aromas are a good deal less floral. There is excellent volume to the attractively rich and textured flavors that possess impressive depth and very good length. I like the style and the delivery as well as the subtle mineral nuances that suffuse the finish.

This is slightly more complex than the La Vigne en Foule but less elegant and the pretty and pure red berry fruit aromas are a good deal less floral. There is excellent volume to the attractively rich and textured flavors that possess impressive depth and very good length. I like the style and the delivery as well as the subtle mineral nuances that suffuse the finish.

The 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Bel Air shows off a striking bouquet and layers of intense yet refined fruit. Silky and persistent on the palate, the Bel Air impresses for its remarkable class and superb overall harmony. The Bel Air (from a parcel above Clos de Beze) has 50% whole clusters and saw 50% new oak. It is a terrific effort. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029. Biodynamic farming and non-interventionalist winemaking are at the heart of the approach at Domaine de la Vougeraie. The 2009s saw roughly a 25 days of maceration (including a week of cold soak) with one punch down a day. Once in barrel racking was kept to a bare minimum. A number of wines were bottled in late 2010 and early 2011. I tasted these wines with winemaker Pierre Vincent in March 2011.

(from vines that sit directly above Clos de Beze) 50% whole clusters. This is also quite floral with dried rose and violet aromas adding nuance to the fresh and distinctly earthy red currant and plum aromas that evidence discreet spice hints as well. The generous, indeed even fleshy middle weight flavors possess a supple mid-palate and a moderately firm and persistent finish. At the moment, this doesn't have the requisite complexity to be at the next level but there is enough material that it may develop in time. 2016+