Sacred soil for Burgundy lovers the world over, Gevrey-Chambertin has continued to produce Pinot Noir that is capable of melting the hearts of kings and emperors. Napoleon’s love for Gevrey-Chambertin has often been blamed for his defeat at the hands of the Russians. Boasting a rich history, the first vestiges of vines reach back to 630 AD when the monks of Bèze cultivated the land outside their abbey. Today, the famous village continues to make hearts flutter and wallets quickly open. One thing is for certain, Gevrey-Chambertin delivers Pinot Noir that is practically without rival and this particular village-level bottling, derived from the near perfect 2010 vintage, is a beautifully crafted example that is still accessible at its price.

Stanilaus Sérafin, a Polish immigrant, settled in Burgundy before the war and purchased the beginnings of this great domaine in 1947. His son, Christian, worked alongside him for twenty years before taking the helm in 1988. The second-generation Burgundian has stayed true to the region’s traditions and sensibilities in the vineyard as well as the cellar, although he has increased the usage of new oak over time. Early on, Christian adopted an inherently Burgundian credo of focus on old vines and low yields—today’s example is derived from vines that were planted in 1985. He farms with sustainable, organic methods and meticulously prunes, de-buds and green harvests throughout the season. Yields are incredibly low and the concentrated fruit is hand-harvested later than the majority of his neighbors. In the cellar, the fruit is entirely de-stemmed, goes through a week cold soak, then fermented in stainless steel with only natural yeasts. The wine ages in 70% new François Frères and Taransaud French oak then is blended and racked for the first and only time prior to bottling, eschewing filtration—there hasn’t been fining or filtration on these wines since 1990. The result is a powerful wine that balances rich fruit and distinct terroir.