|
'The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru La Bossiere Monopole mingled notes of cassis, raspberries and smoked meat with savory nuances of forest floor in a complex bouquet, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and tensile palate that's bright and mineral in profile.'
Neil Martin, Vinous
Tucked up high on the Combe de Lavaux and at the western limit of Gevrey's viticultural reach you'll find the little finger of 'La Bossiere,' Gevrey's smallest premier cru. The two-hectare vineyard is split between villages and premier cru, with less than 1/4 of this total meriting the higher of these. This portion is owned in monopole by Gevrey's Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy, and is the source of one of Gevrey's most distinct cuvées.
Harmand is a name we've been touting more than a little lately, as the past few vintages have marked new heights of expressiveness for the domaine's wines. Over these, the style has trended more toward textural finesse and vibrancy, with increasingly lifted and red fruit-inflected aromatic profiles. Philippe Harmand, in succession to his father Gérard, is since 2007 fully in charge, and his pursuit of freshness and perfume have lifted the wines - in more ways than one - to among the more interesting in the village.
I have always had a preference for the understatement and uber-purity of 'La Bossiere,' even though other illustrious premiers crus can be found in the cellar. The vineyard is typically picked a full week after its stablemates, with the cooling influence of the Combe de Lavaux and the shade from the forest above working in tandem to ensure slow ripening and a singularly long hang time. The result is perhaps Gevrey's most red-fruited premier cru, one whose silken-textured charms might well cause one's mind to drift to Chambolle rather than Gevrey. The nose offers up notions of red currant and raspberry along with details of crushed rock and a touch of something earthy/flowery, almost white-tea like, and very attractive. This is all perfume, and a floral impression gains confidence as the wine widens.
The 2017 is my favorite rendition of this cuvée since the 2008, and brings the hi-def relief of the vintage to the vineyard's verdant, elegant proclivities. This shows a side of Gevrey I very, very much like.
Cheers,
Jason
|
