Hopefully, you haven’t grown tired of our stories about our buying trip to France last March—because I have one more. Of all the Burgundy domaines we visited over the course of several fast-paced days, the one that made the biggest impact on me was Domaine Philippe Livera.
The moment we walked into their small, homey reception area, where the remnants of a morning fire smoldered in the wood stove, I knew I was in the presence of true-blue
vignerons. Down in their cold, rustic cellars, we shivered and sipped our way through a tasting of their 2016s, and I don’t think any other wines I tasted on our long journey produced such a visceral reaction in me. I thought back to some of the classic texts on Burgundy and how most of them describe Gevrey-Chambertin as being the woodsiest, most ‘masculine’ red Burgundies, and here was a lineup of wines that fit the description perfectly. Theirs are deeply soulful, hand-crafted Pinot Noirs across the board, with today’s wine providing an impressive and memorable introduction: Although labeled simply as ‘Bourgogne,’ this 2016 is in fact sourced from an estate vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin, but regardless, it performs at a higher level than either classification. Some subscribers may be familiar with this wine, as we’ve offered it in previous vintages, and if ever a wine undersold itself with its label, this would be it. At this price, it’s not just an over-achieving Bourgogne to try on a Tuesday night but a pantry essential to be stockpiled, like good sea salt or homemade stock. Take as much as you can afford because it’s only going to get better over the next several years.
These days, Philippe Livera’s son, Damien, is the man in charge, having taken the reins in 2007; in generations past the Liveras sold the majority of their grapes to larger négociant producers such as Jadot and Bouchard, but Damien has steadily increased the amount of ‘estate-bottled’ wine the family produces. His focus has been on the health of his family’s vineyards, as he has reduced yields dramatically over the years and farmed according to “lutte raisonnée” principles. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Livera’s vineyard holdings total just over 8 hectares, spreading into nearby appellations such as Fixin, and their old, cold cellars have an authentic, ancient feel to them that is reflected in the wines.
The vineyard that provides the fruit for this Bourgogne Pinot Noir is in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, but *not quite* within the boundaries of the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation (AOC) boundaries. It’s yet another example of the limitations of these traditional demarcations—this vineyard, called “Les Vignes Blanches,” was planted in the 1950s and ‘60s and is a mere stone’s throw from more famous sites (as we’ve said before, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere). This old-vine depth is instantly recognizable in the wine, which was fermented using only indigenous yeasts and aged in older French oak barrels. The majority of the grapes are de-stemmed before fermentation, but the inclusion of some whole grape clusters lend a touch of grip and rusticity.
Owing its depth and drinkability to the ripe (if small) 2016 vintage, Livera’s Bourgogne displays a deep ruby-red core with garnet and violet reflections. The aromas meld fruit and earth notes seamlessly and evocatively, with notes of black cherry, black raspberry, orange peel, damp flowers, wood smoke, turned earth, and crushed black rocks. Unlike many austere, thin Bourgogne Rouge-level wines, this one delivers serious concentration and a firm backbone of tannin, and I can see it aging well for 5+ years in proper cellar conditions. However, with a rough decanting and a minimum 30 minutes of air, this wine is plenty delicious now, showing off what its importer describes as the “earthy seduction” of classic Gevrey-Chambertin. This is reference-point Burgundy for me, and one I will drink with gusto after working in the yard on a chilly fall afternoon—hopefully alongside something warm and stew-y (I can pretend I’m a macho vigneron, in for a fortifying lunch after a morning of winter pruning). Yes, we recommend it a lot, but this is quintessential
boeuf bourguignon wine, so do yourself a favor and prepare accordingly. Enjoy!
