2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques 1er Cru offers a mixture of red and black fruit, hints of chalk and light Earl Grey scents percolating through with time. Again, lovely mineralité . The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very elegant and refined, beautifully balanced with white pepper and pain d'épices . Excellent.

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques Ter Cru has an elegant and refined nose featuring delineated brambly red fruit and forest floor scents with just a hint of ash. It's finely focused. The palate is medium-bodied, open and charming with lace-like tannins, gentle grip and a dash of white pepper on the finish. This is delightful.

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques wafts from the glass with aromas of orange zest, rose petals, spices and sweet dark berries. Medium to full-bodied, ample and sensual, it's bright and melting, with soft tannins and a long, sapid finish. This is another lovely set of wines from Pierre Duroché, emphasizing supple, sensual structures and expressive aromas. After the hailstorms of 2022, 2023 was less eventful, with warm weather punctuated by showers that alleviated any hydric stress. Harvest began on September 5, as usual with the Griotte-Chambertin. As readers may remember, Duroché has been experimenting with "tressage"—rolling vines' canopies instead of trimming them—in some parcels. In the cellar, new oak continues to make a minimal contribution, but the historic emphasis on Tonnellerie Cadus has diminished to avoid any one cooper defining the domaine style. Vinifications continue to be rather delicate, with comparatively short macerations and little in the way of pigéage. Fully renovated winery facilities, complete with a battery of made-to-measure stainless steel tanks, facilitate precision vinification, something that was a particular advantage in 2023.