Vivian Lang | July 24, 2019
Pierre Duroché, a Rising Star of Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Duroché has a total of 8.25 ha in Gevrey-Chambertin including three village wines, four Premieres Crus - Champeaux, Cazetieres, Estournelles St-Jacques and Lavaux St-Jacques and four Grands Crus - Charmes Chambertin, Latricieres Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze and Griotte Chambertin. The domaine is currently run by Pierre Duroché.
Natural yeasts are used during fermentation with ageing in barrel and careful use of new oak. I find the wines from Pierre Duroché especially sensual and light of foot with the character of the vineyards shining through. Quality has certainly improved hugely since Pierre Duroché took over the domaine and he has also been widely regarded as one of the rising stars of Gevrey-Chambertin.
His village wines are very pretty with great transparency and purity – each one really offering an insight to its unique terroir. Next up in quality are his Premieres Crus, which are classically Gevrey in style with savory red and dark cherry fruit and underlying minerality. There is a definite step up in terms of power and structure, but the elegance and purity is still very much there. My personal favorite is the Estournelles St. Jacques, which is the least known vineyard in the St. Jacques vineyards trio. In the right hands this vineyard offers excellent value and this particular wine stands out for its generosity and vibrancy. His Grands Crus stand toe to toe with some of the more illustrious names in the village. My pick is his Charmes-Chambertin, which for me is one of the finest expressions of this vineyard with great richness, layers of complexity and a lingering finish.
The much lauded 2016 vintage has just arrived and I urge you to act quickly to secure an allocation whilst they are available.
