Tasting wines like these side by side, on contrast, makes the skill, experience and talent of the winemakers visible in the most direct way. Each bottle is of course excellent in its own right, but in moments like this you gain extra experience and emotion from the striking diversity of styles.
Christophe Roumier today makes some of the most monumental wines in terms of structure, a structure that favours long development. At the same time, they drink beautifully in their youth. The 2022 and 2021 are currently in a super open, juicy phase, but with age they slip into a kind of liturgical sleep. Ruchottes 2014 is right in that state now; despite all its complexity, you can feel its potential in every sip.
Cécile Tremblay’s Chapelle 2011 was, for me, the best rehabilitation of the entire 2011 vintage. A luxurious, seamless and very gentle expression of all Gevrey’s complexity. Cécile is making fantastic wines right now.
Clos Saint‑Jacques 2007 once again showed how great this vineyard can be in the hands of a master. Éric Rousseau, consistently and without unnecessary words, makes wines capable of living – if not forever – then at least on the level of great Bordeaux. On the nose, a lovely evolution of hand‑picked wild berries, marinated cherry and dried roses. A great bottle!
Text and photo by Greg Somm
