2007 Nuits St Georges les Cras
By Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
2007 Griottes Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Fourrier, Burgundy, France
The 2007 vintage in Burgundy was one where a critic’s keenest sensibilities are tested, demanding attention to the subtleties that separate the exceptional from the merely excellent. Of particular interest to fine wine investors and aficionados is the 2007 Griottes Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Fourrier: an extraordinary articulation of place and time.
Cherished Soil, Admirable Vintage
The season’s trajectory gifted us an unexpected pleasure in the form of this Grand Cru. The spring was warm and encouraging, though summer brought rains that divided opinion and demanded mastery in vineyard management. Domaine Fourrier's rigorous commitment to low yields and organic principles allowed their cherished parcels of Griotte-Chambertin to express a striking character, a facet perhaps less pronounced in more forgiving vintages.
An Oenophile's Chronicle: 2007 Griottes Chambertin Grand Cru
Crafting this vintage into a beacon of finesse, Jean-Marie Fourrier utilised his astute understanding of his vines to extract a wine of precise balance. It unfurls eloquently with red cherries and a graduation towards darker fruits in its aromatic profile. There is an alluring earthiness, tinged with sweet spices and floral undertones, that nods respectfully to the storied terroir.
On tasting, it demonstrates an often sought yet seldom attained parity between structure and accessibility. The tannins are ripe yet unmistakably refined – they articulate without dominating; confident but not brash. The flavour lingers with the poise one expects from a domaine that has long mastered its craft.
The 2007 Griottes Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Fourrier emerges as one for the connoisseur’s cellar, offering glimpses into Burgundy's heart through its complex layering and textural elegance. It stands out not only as a testament to the winemaker’s skill but also as an investment piece with admirable age-worthiness—a reflection of both the immediate climate and the enduring potential of its origin.
In summary, the beguiling nature of this wine is one that intertwines its impeccable genealogy with the unique expression of an underrated year—a narrative ripe for appreciation as it unfolds over time.
Market price (HKD)
HK$169,190.00
12x75cl
Highest score
90
POP score
1770
Scores and tasting notes
Liger-Belair’s 2007 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Cras projects ripe though tart blackberry and mulberry; smoky and sweetly-pungent Latakia tobacco; and underlying meat juices, chalk, and stone. Abundant and somewhat gum-numbing (though not coarse) tannins are partly compensated for by a sheer sense of energy and berry brightness. There seems to be a sheer extract here that will help the wine remain knitted, and while I would monitor it carefully if I had some in my cellar, I suspect this is a 2007 that would benefit from some bottle aging, and probably perform well for 6-8 years. Louis-Michel Liger-Belair’s 2008 collection strikes me as hands-down his best so far, and he is inclined to agree. But the quality of his 2007s also bespeaks increasing mastery of technique; focusing of his aesthetic (and a more focused resultant style); and certainly too, greater familiarity with his vineyards, a substantial portion of which (as explained in issue 186) was only acquired in 2006. (Liger-Belair would also put emphasis on the accumulated effect of a biodynamic regimen, including deep horse-plowing for the estate’s top acreage.) Malos were not inordinately late in this relatively warm cellar, and bottling of the 2008s took place between mid-January and late March, three weeks after which I tasted the wines. “The big deal,” opines Liger-Belair, “was – a bit of rot, of course, but – the major problem was rose, pink grapes. So my primary goal was to be at the beginning of the sorting table to pick out bunches” that harbored some of those berries, an imperfection that evidently could easily be missed. Liger-Belair continues to experiment with the inclusion of stems and whole clusters, although he limited this vendange entier approach in both the 2007 and 2008 vintages, lest any greenness intrude. Finished alcohols on the 2008s range from the low 12’s to low 13’s with only a minor amount of chaptalization performed on certain cuvees. A Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet; fax 011-333-80-24-29-70
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2010