2013 Gevrey Chambertin Les Corvees

The 2013 Gevrey Chambertin les Corvées has an animally bouquet that Chantal Tortochot-Michel thought might be brett, though she had the wine analyzed and there is no evidence of that. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, nicely balanced, with a slightly tapered finish that needs just needs a little more cohesion. Not a complex Gevrey-Chambertin for sure, but there is an innocent charm about it.

Mid ruby. Like the Bourgogne, a bit reduced. Bottle shock? Firm and confident juicy fruit on the palate with fine tannins underneath. Still very youthful. (JR)

The 2013 Gevrey Chambertin les Corvées has an animally bouquet that Chantal Tortochot-Michel thought might be brett, though she had the wine analyzed and there is no evidence of that. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, nicely balanced, with a slightly tapered finish that needs just needs a little more cohesion. Not a complex Gevrey-Chambertin for sure, but there is an innocent charm about it.||Tucked in the heart of Gevrey village is Domaine Tortochot, just behind the church. The domaine was established back in 1865 and four generations of the namesake family have subsequently tended the vines. The present person at the helm is Chantal Tortochot-Michel. She told me a quite amazing story about how her farther had acquired the holdings from his mother-in-law as part of a wedding gift. How generous! Only one snag…they did not belong to her. Instead, they were actually his father-in-law's. Cue a telephone call to lawyers to sort it all out, which was probably not the most straightforward process. Chantal is assisted by no less than Marsannay superstar Sylvain Pataille. Sylvain has a particular style of winemaking and I asked Chantal if she follows him by rote? “I don’t do all what Sylvain wants to do. I do what I understand very well,” she replied. “The big thing is to work organically. The 2013 vintage is the first to be certified.” Chantal told me they sort both in the vineyard and in the winery and that the fruit is 100% destemmed. However, she told me that in the future, she might try keeping part of the stems. In 2013, there is around 20% less production than in 2009 and she chaptalized the wines around half a degree in alcohol. These were good wines in 2013. There is part of me that thinks there is still some room for improvement here, as if the wines need to settle into their groove. I am seeking a little more precision at the village cru level and occasionally the grand crus feel a little earnest, too oaky in proportion to the fruit. Nevertheless with Sylvain Pataille assisting, this is a name to keep an eye on. eRobertParker.com.June, 2015