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Duroché harvested early in 2018 and has produced a lovely range of fragrant, elegant and unusually vibrant wines. Domaine Duroché continues its ascent, and readers who haven't yet taken notice should do so before it's too late. - William Kelley, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
As an enthusiastic supporter since Pierre’s early days as winemaker, I’m both heartened and a bit bittersweet about his ascent into the top tier of the Cotes de Nuits. His vineyard holdings are many in number but sum only 8 hectares, with a couple cuvées yielding a single barrel - or less.
The style has always been decidedly understated, with vibrancy and red fruit serving as ‘family traits’ in an otherwise highly transparent oeuvre of wines. If anything, recent vintages have doubled down on these particulars, with more stems and increasingly gentler vinification allowing great terroirs and old vines to shine brightly through. This approach yields fantastic results in 2018. The opulent texture and precarious balance of many more challenging wines of the vintage are all but absent here. Chapeau - Jason
Gevrey-Chambertin Village - From parcels all across Gevrey from a clutch of vineyards higher on the slope in Brochon to the North to more southerly and downslope parcels such as Le Fourneau, this provides a perfect showcase of both the Village and the Duroché style.
Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Champ’ - A beautifully sited and markedly stony lieu-dit just across the border of Brochon, directly North of Gevrey. The vines here are about 50 years of age and exhibits a more red fruited and vividly floral style of Gevrey.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Les Champeaux’ - Just two barrels produced from Pierre’s small parcel just beneath Combe aux Moines. A small proportion of whole cluster in this magnificently complete and supple wine.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 'Lavaut St. Jacques - Vieilles Vignes' - Since 2014 Pierre has separated out a parcel of his oldest vines in this vineyard, planted 1923, to bottle separately. These millerandée bunches produced 3 barrels this vintage, and as usual, the resultant wine is one of the very best of the domaine. It is aromatically expansive with wild strawberries and orange rind atop ripe cherry. The palate marries excellent richness with riveting minerality.
Gevrey-Chambertin 'Aux Ételois' - As William Kelley notes, this is “always the insider's choice chez Duroché.” Pierre separates off his parcels planted between 1925 and 1964 which are sandwiched between Griotte- and Charmes-Chambertin. Thirty percent whole cluster this vintage gently seasons the vibrant dark fruit. Fine concentration and perfume, with chalky tannin.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru ‘Les Cazetiers' - Only one barrel produced this vintage and these are some of the only magnums in existence. Unusually 100% whole cluster here with hints of cinnamon above black cherry. It is a superb rendition of this often overlooked Northern neighbour to Clos Saint Jacques.
Cheers,
- Spencer
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