The annual release of Raphet’s humbly priced and resoundingly classic “Les Grands Champs” Bourgogne is as eagerly awaited as any premium allocation because it’s an incognito Gevrey-Chambertin for pennies on the dollar. Of course, anyone who’s snagged one of the many vintages we’ve offered already knows of the excellence lurking inside the bottle...
Raphet exclusively sources his “Bourgogne Rouge” from a single parcel within the prestigious town of Gevrey-Chambertin, one that falls just beyond the AOC line despite being surrounded by not one, not two, but three village-level vineyards. Although our rabid following for this cuvée swells each year, our allocation exponentially dwindles, and that blow was felt deeply in 2021. Yields and productions bottomed out in comparison to the previous three vintages, so I cannot stress enough how little there is to go around (no matter the producer). For all those who secure today’s limited ’21 Bourgogne: This is a legitimate return to classically ethereal and delicately perfumed Pinot Noir—it’s a soon-to-be favorite for all the “Burgheads” of yesteryear. The wise move would be to grab 6+ bottles and take your house red to a new, mind-blowing level!
BONUS: The excitement continues this afternoon with a rare Grand Cru offering…
Check out this map and you’ll discover the lieu-dit of “Les Grands Champs” is surrounded on three sides by officially recognized Gevrey-Chambertin vineyards. Additionally, if you were to stand in Grand Cru Chambertin-Clos de Bèze and look downhill, this parcel would be within viewing distance! How is it possible that this site fell outside the AOC line? Often, vineyards are left out of appellation labeling for slight differences in elevation, slope, and/or soil composition but with Les Grands Champs, my palate distinguishes no discernible difference. This is textbook Gevrey-Chambertin, loaded as it is with woodsy flavors, softly knit spices, and deep perfume.
Gérard Raphet, who took over the domaine from his father in 2002, works his parcels manually and farms today’s 40+-year-old vines with a lutte raisonnée approach, a method that implies a sustainable approach unless faced with extreme circumstances in difficult vintages. Gérard and his team (which in recent years includes his daughter, Sylviane) use traditional cultivation methods and harvest only by hand. The grapes undergo strict sorting before fermentation with natural yeasts, and the Bourgogne Rouge is put into mostly neutral French oak barrels for 18 months. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Raphet’s Pinot Noirs throughout the 2018-2020 string of warm vintages were characterized by exceptional concentration, sumptuous fruit, and velvety tannins. That is certainly not the case in 2021, and I’m loving the results. This is one of those “classic” Burgundy vintages, as in cooler, wetter, and less consistent, which made Pinot Noir far harder to farm. Furthermore, a freak frost in the Spring heavily curtailed yields—the Bourgogne Wine Board estimated up to 50% of the region’s crop was lost—so these delicate and remarkably lithe wines are also in limited supply.
In the glass, Raphet’s ’21 reveals a bright, translucent ruby and trickles out supple, knee-weakening aromas of purple/red flowers, light spice, and just-ripened cherries and plums. The palate is medium-bodied and delivers soft layers of petrichor, forest floor, and damp, crunchy wild berries. It finishes lifted and balanced with a lingering iron-tinged minerality that hints at its Gevrey-Chambertin origins. It’s a gorgeous Pinot Noir, one that will drink best over the next two years. Cheers!
