Tasted with Fred and his father, André, in Gevery-Chambertin, 16 July 2024.
Domaine Frédéric Esmonin
Les Estournelles
12 Rue du Chêne
21220, Gevrey Chambertin
Tel. +33 9 79 66 20 27
More reports with Domaine Frédéric Esmonin
André & Fred on 2022:
“It’s looking good – less than we hoped – maybe 20-30% depending on the area – the grapes were lovely but were small so we didn’t have the juice. Of course, when compared to 2021 the volume is fine. 2021 needed a little longer elevage but back to our normal rhythm with the 22s… Gevrey got 150mm of rain in one day. Fortunately, there was no damage to the cellar but the syndicate of Gevrey were suggesting about 15% losses for 2022 partly due to the small amount of hail that came too.”
The wines
These were sensational wines before bottling. And the bottled versions are just so delicious. Their Estournelles should never be overlooked !!
2021(!) Gevrey-Chambertin
A 21 to get us started, ‘from the bottom slopes’…
Modest colour but with an inviting freshness of aroma. Round and juicy, pretty red fruits – a delicious wine though a lighter one. Small finishing bitters attractively accent the finish – tasty wine, almost delicious but you’ll find more material in many 22 Bourgognes – this is very drinkable though…
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin
From the Lavaux valley – on the other side of the road.
An extra depth of colour. The nose is the same – an extra depth, and here, breadth too, with pretty higher dark tones. Supple, extra concentration – here is more mouth-filling content and energy. Really tasty wine again – it’s exactly what I expect here…
2023(!) Gevrey-Chambertin
This is the only cuvée that’s in bottle at this stage
A brighter, younger colour. A more vertical nose of depth and higher tones – almost a little tobacco complexity. Width, a slightly more visible structure. Fresher, more direct, more structure too – not austere but certainly a little stricter than the 22 but holding excellently in the finish. Drink the 21 and 22 now and wait 2-3 years for this…
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux St.Jacques
The bottle shape changes a little here – also the depth of the colour a little – there’s more! Deeper, larger and more impressively perfumed though there’s a little frame of young barrel helping too. Supple, extra 1er cru concentration – delicious wine and a very classy Lavaux…
Another larger nose, oaked again, this time with a small reductive accent – deep and impressive whilst at the same time opening in the higher tones – always an overlooked wine this one! Wide but with extra sizzling energy vs the Lavaux – I actually prefer this wine – it’s more mineral and saline finishing too – vibrantly finishing – what an excellent wine, practically a great Gevrey…
2022 Ruchottes-Chambertin
From below the Clos de Ruchottes of Rousseau and near the Mazis of Faiveley.
A more focused, redder fruit – less scale but more clarity and more perfume. Scale in the mouth too, the barrel is hardly visible vs the 1ers, only a very subtle supporting tannin. The finish has width and energy – overall a calmer wine than the forthright Estournelles. Super wine but if was taking just one it would be the Estournelles – as is so often the case at this much overlooked domaine…