Retail Team | October 10, 2023
Since fourth-generation owner Jean-Marie Fourrier took over Domaine Fourrier in 1994, the estate has ascended to a hallowed position among the premier producers in the Côte de Nuits.
Fond of saying that he does almost nothing to the wine in the cellar, Fourrier is of the non-interventionist school, shaped by his experiences working under legendary winemaker Henri Jayer and at Oregon’s Domaine Drouhin. He abides by several idiosyncratic practices that help elevate his wines to the highest echelon in Burgundy.
At the domaine, wines made from vines less than 30 years in age are sold to négociants, reflecting Fourrier’s belief that great wine can only be made from deep, old root systems. Instead of green harvesting, he aggressively prunes in winter, creating the low yields that bedevil would-be buyers around the world. He also maintains that allowing for 100 days of hang time between flowering and harvest is necessary to achieve optimal physiological maturity.
The sensual refinement and silky, haunting complexity that these techniques produce have never been so evident as in the 2020 vintage, represented in the stunning selection below. A season that balanced exuberant, sunny warmth with striking vibrancy invests these bottles with deep, saturated concentration, held in check by lively acidity. Here you’ll find wines produced by Domaine Fourrier as well as his négociant arm, simply called Jean-Marie Fourrier, which was introduced with the 2011 vintage.
The domaine wines hail from vines 60 to 100 years in age across 25 acres in some of the most illustrious vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vougeot, and Chambolle-Musigny. To extend his offerings, Fourrier only sources his négociant wines from sites where he doesn’t have holdings.
The greatest expression of Fourrier’s skill can be found in a wine like the Chambertin cuvée, considered to rank amongst the great wines made from this Grand Cru plot. The renowned Latricières-Chambertin, from a small patch of 60-year-old vines, is fine, with long, lacy tannins wrapped around a rich red fruit core. An excellent village wine, the Aux Echezeaux is a paragon of purity and floral finesse.
From a master at the top of his game, these are envy-provoking bottles that will add tremendous value to any cellar. All wines will be ready for delivery from 16 Oct.
