Tasted with Frédérique Goulley in Gevery-Chambertin, 19 November 2021.
Domaine Sérafin
7 Place du Château
21220 Gevrey-Chambertin
Tel: +33 3 80 34 35 40
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Frédérique on 2020 and 2021:
“In 2021 we had about half a harvest – but that’s not really less than in 2020. We had all the different weather that you could think of and stayed the course in organics – it was, of course, easier in 2020 where we often treated with only half the amount. We thought the quantity would be fine in 2020 but in the end, there was a lack of juice. We started our harvest very early – 23 August – the maturity was there and the acidity was still fine so what was there to wait for? Of course, the day we finished, in the morning, it rained in the afternoon. It might have been different if we’d waited until after – but we are still happy.”
The wines…
The first 3 or 4 wines will be excellent but will also require patience – their structural aspects are easy to see but then the extra sophistication of the wines that follow becomes evident and there are a number of really excellent wines here – the oak is hardly visible despite plenty being used.
‘We will start to riack the first couple in January and probably most will have been bottled in May:’
2020 Bourgogne
Vines next to their Gevrey vines, so, of course, all from the commune of Gevrey. 50% new oak
The nose is wide, darker fruited and attractively floral too. This is incisive and direct – cool fruit then a slowly growing tannin. A structural wine – for keeping a while – 1-2 years. Good, the finish is the best bit.
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin
About 10 parcels included here, a little more than 1-hectare the vines averaging 50-years-old- the majors being Crais and Etelois – this and last using 50% new oak during elevage.
A deeper nose accented with reduction – the nose becomes more floral with air. Also a lovely drive and freshness, melting and mouth-watering with flavour over the tongue. Structured but less overt than the Bourgogne and finishing with a perfumed width of fruit – that’s very good.
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles-Vignes
Mainly next to 1er and grand cru sites plus the Brochon side of Gevrey. 70-75-years-old are the vine-ages on average but up to 100.
A depth of dark fruit – no reduction. Wider, incisive wine with an extra dimension of fruit flavour. Of course, there’s the structure but this is a very well balanced wine – but made with some ageing in mind – keep it back at least 3-5 years and you can start to enjoy more and more after 10…
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Corbeaux
Their 50-year-old vines are in a little clos which saved them from the frost in 16 and makes for a slightly different micro-climate – ‘It’s better to work in the mornings in the summer – it’s too hot in the afternoon!’ The wall offered some protection from the frost in 2021 too.
There’s depth to this nose, but it’s the airy style of the top notes that invites. Like seemingly all of these, cool and incisive – an extra width, and another level of depth to these flavours – lots extra here, with not just additional layers but also a creamy aspect to the flavour – not overly of oak. Long finishing.
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Fontenys
Here the aromas a little more open but less focused today. Extra silky, still direct – this is a wine with quite some sophistication, it’s a step up from all the previous wines. The finish is more direct but also nicely layered and higher-toned. Overall, this is more ‘different’ than better vs the Corbeaux – except for this super texture.
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
Also darkly fruited, quite airy and well-focused. Almost the blend of the last two – but a more fluid and attractive complexity of flavour here. Beautifully mouthwatering – that’s an excellent wine.
2 premiers from outside of Gevrey:
2020 Morey St.Denis 1er Les Millandes
An airy, brambly type of nose. Fuller, lots of concentration here, with a super burst of finishing intensity. Velvet textured and delicious. That’s an excellent wine.
2020 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Baudes
In the domaine since 1996 – like the Morey – both usually the first harvested, ‘already at 13-13.5° natural – and I won’t do 14°!’
That’s a nicely airy wine too – a suggestion of reduction adding to the complexity today. Much more fluid, a sleek wine that starts silky but does grow a little tannin as you explore it. Sinuous, and mouth-watering – concentrated of course! Another excellent wine.
2020 Charmes-Chambertin
Half Mazoyères – there’s about 0.15 ha of each – quite close to each other. Roughly 85-year-old vines.
A more compact aromatic impression but all the time growing in width. Nice airy energy in the mouth too – but here is depth of flavour too, coupled with a mouth-watering style. Larger finishing. Actually a little discretion to this wine today but holding a super width and length in the finale. That’s very good Charmes…