2011 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques
By Domaine Fourrier
2011 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques from Domaine Fourrier, Burgundy, France
In the pantheon of Burgundy's intricately woven terroirs, the 2011 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques from Domaine Fourrier emerges as a textural tapestry, a constellation of nuance that one might miss in more bombastic vintages. As a veteran of the venerated wine-making region of Burgundy, the subtleties and whispers of a vintage often speak louder to me than its roars, and so it is with 2011—a year that perhaps quietly sidestepped the limelight, and in doing so, left room for contemplation and surprise.
Domaine Fourrier: A Study in Elegance
Domaine Fourrier has a storied legacy in Gevrey Chambertin, and their stewardship of Clos St Jacques—a site revered nearly as much as a Grand Cru—is particularly noteworthy. The 2011 vintage presents an intimate portrait of this relationship, characterised by the delicate tension between grace and structure that this producer has honed to an art form.
A Vintage Defined by Poise
The climatic conditions of 2011 induced uniqueness into the fruits of Burgundy, where a relatively warm spring advanced the vegetative cycle, only to be tempered by a cooler summer that elongated maturation—granting depth without forfeiting vivacity. The result? A 2011 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques that serenades with complex berry aromatics and an earthy undertow. On the palate, this vintage's poise is impeccable; red fruits marry with subtle spice and an exquisite mineral backbone—hallmarks of a studied investment-worthy wine.
Fine wine investors recognise the latent potential of such nuanced years—where perhaps critics were too hasty in their judgements—and the astute investor will find in the 2011 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques from Domaine Fourrier an exemplar for cellaring, as time will undoubtedly unfurl its latent textures and ever-deepening complexity.
In closing, this vintage stands apart as a beacon highlighting the soft-spoken sophistication evident in certain vintages that call for careful listening. Therein lies the true beauty for collectors and investors alike—a nuanced articulation waiting to be discovered.
Market price (CAD)
$8,910.00
12x75cl
Highest score
93
POP score
412.31
Scores and tasting notes
The 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques, has a very reduced nose at first and required vigorous aeration. There is a herbaceous and stem-like element that I had not noticed in previous bottles, before the wild berry and gamy scents emerge. The quality is really delivered on the palate: here there is the purity, the fineness of the tannin, the symmetry and precision we come to expect from both Fourrier and Clos Saint Jacques. It still requires another couple of years in bottle and I would not ascribe profundity to it. But there is something enigmatic and intriguing about this Clos Saint Jacques that impels me to plot its evolution.
Neal Martin - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2015