Every Burgundy lover knows the name of Domaine Denis Mortet and likely equates the producer with true greatness. Mentored in winemaking by Henri Jayer, one of the most important Burgundian winemakers who ever lived, Denis’ masterful hand has filtered into the genes of his son, Arnaud, with absolute clarity.
The Domaine’s meager allocation of wines are highly sought after around the world. Today’s offer represents one of the producer’s most classic expressions of the lauded appellation. A favorite of Napoleon himself, Gevrey-Chambertin contains the most Grand Cru vineyards of any village in Burgundy and delivers some of the most desirable Pinot Noir in the world. This particular bottling, derived from five serious parcels, of one of the lowest yielding vintages in years, boasts incredible concentration. This is divine now but as with all great Gevrey, it will reveal its true greatness in a few years to come.
Gevrey-Chambertin is hallowed ground for Burgundy lovers the world over. The legendary hillside, above the commune of Gevrey, has produced wines capable of melting the hearts of kings and emperors. Some credit Napoleon’s defeat at the hands of the Russians to this magnificent village. He is rumored to have brought dozens of additional barrels of Chambertin in place of extra ammunition, which led to the inevitable defeat of his army due to lack of ammunition. The first vestiges of vines reach back to 630 AD when the monks of Bèze cultivated the land outside their abbey. One thing is for certain, Gevrey-Chambertin delivers Pinot Noir with just about the longest ageability of all and this stunning example from incredible lineage, crafted by one of the greatest producers in Burgundy, translates this cherished terroir at its very best.
Charles Mortet founded this revered estate with a single hectare of vines back in 1956, but it wasn’t until his son, Denis, took the reins in 1978 that Domaine Denis Mortet and its acquired holdings soared into the canon of Burgundian producers. A truly gifted vigneron, Denis studied under the innovative Henri Jayer and passed the torch onto his son, Arnaud, after his tragic passing in 2006. Arnaud displayed all the hallmarks of a promising vigneron upon taking the helm of the domaine and it didn’t take long for him to hit his stride. These days, he more than lives up to the vaulted reputation of his father’s name in the fields as well as the cellar. Vineyards are meticulously tended, green harvested and maintained at incredibly low yields to ensure ample concentration of fruit and true reflection of terroir. The hand harvest is followed by strict grape selection during a triple sort then fully destemmed. The wine is pumped over and rarely punched down to “infuse” the flavor of grape skins with the juice as opposed to heavy-handed extraction, which reveals a more refined, elegant expression of Pinot Noir. A lower percentage of new oak is used to allow the pure sense of place to shine through in the glass. The wine is matured on its fine lees for eighteen months in 30% new French oak then finished in stainless steel for one month prior to bottling. The result encapsulates the true beauty of Gevrey-Chambertin in every sip.
This wine displays a vibrant, dark ruby red core with highly reflective, slightly pink hues on the rim that indicate its youth. The perfumed nose offers classic aromas of youthful Gevrey-Chambertin including notes of black cherry, wild strawberry, redcurrant and fresh red plum highlighted by aromas of freshly picked lavender, thyme, forest floor, black tea, a bouquet of wildflowers, crushed rocks and subtle baking spices from the lightly toasted French oak. The slightly rustic and very structured palate—which is to be expected from a youthful Gevrey—enchants with compact and muscular flavors of crushed stone minerality, wild herbs, wet flowers, tea leaf, grape stems, redcurrant and pomegranate. If you collect Burgundy, this stunning wine is a necessary addition to your cellar. Upon release, great Burgundy is akin to having a conversation with a precocious child; it is only a snapshot of the brilliance that will inevitably be revealed in maturity. Ideally, forget about this wine in a cold, dark corner of your cellar for another 5-7 years, but if you can wait until 2022 to 2025 to enjoy this special example, your patience will be amply rewarded with a silky yet powerfully nuanced Pinot Noir that knows few equals. If you choose to enjoy this wine now, decant for two hours and serve in Burgundy stems at around 65 degrees for optimal results. Serve this wine in its youth with food to compliment the youthful tannins. For a pairing that will highlight the beauty of this wine, try this recipe for Braised Leg of Lamb and enjoy with the best of friends.
