Domaine Jérôme Galeyrand, La Justice, Gevrey-Chambertin
In the most Northern part of the appellation, grown on limestone and sandy soils, this wine is the perfect introduction to Jérôme’s style. 100% de-stemmed and just 20% new oak barrels, this shows great purity and good plush fruit.
As you head north-east towards Gevrey-Chambertin, in the small village of Saint Philibert, you will find a small hamlet of what can best be described as industrial sheds. It is in the very last of these that Jérôme has built his new cellars and winemaking facilities. Production is minuscule and very hands-on and Jérôme is aiming to produce wines that speak of their place. Read more...
The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice has turned out beautifully, mingling aromas of orange rind, peonies and plums with sweet soil tones and hints of licorice. Medium to full-bodied, ample and lively, with beautifully refined, melting tannins and a long, sapid finish, it is well worth seeking out. This parcel, planted between 1950 and 1960, is one of the three from which Galeyrand propagates a massal selection of Pinot Noir.
91 points, Wine Advocate (January 2021)
The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice has a well-defined bouquet of red currant, crushed strawberry and light Earl Grey scents that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is well balanced with fleshy red berry fruit and fine acidity. Open-knit in style with a soft landing on the finish. I suspect this will be open for business around 18–24 months after bottling.
(85-87) points, Vinous (October 2020)
Planted in 1960 on later ripening so4 pinot moyen with interesting dried flower aromatics. Sweet ripe mouthful nonetheless but keeps fresh at the finish. Perfumed raspberry and dried roses. Long finish.
89 points, Inside Burgundy (March 2021)
“For fifteen years the Emperor [Napoleon] constantly drank the same wine [Gevrey-Chambertin] , which he liked and which we believed was good for him."
Mémorial de Sainte-Hélène by The Count of Las Cases
Gevrey-Chambertin is the largest wine-producing village in the entire Côte d’Or with the wines typically deeper in colour, with more tannin structure and firmer in body than most red Burgundy. Thanks to the iron-rich clay soils the very best can develop into the richest, biggest and long-lived Pinot Noir - this of course depends on whether the vineyard is located on the steeper slopes or the flatter, richer soils.
Gevrey boasts an impressive nine Grands Crus, with the name of Chambertin retaining a regal omnipresence throughout its finest vineyard names. Chambertin-Clos de Bèze which has the right to sell its wines simply as ‘Chambertin’, and is also the only wine allowed to put the ‘Chambertin’ before (rather than after its own), is considered one of the greats. Quality-wise the next best is generally acknowledged to be Mazis-Chambertin with incredibly concentrated and fine wines, but a little less firm than Le Chambertin. The tiny Griottes-Chambertin, which owes its name to the grill-pan shape of the vineyard rather than the wine’s griotte (sour) cherry aroma, is lower down the slope and boasts a velvety texture and rich fruit reminiscent of Chambertin itself. Gevrey’s largest Grand Cru, Charmes-Chambertin is pure and seductive.
The wines of Gevrey-Chambertin are deeply colored. They have intense aromas of currants and other small red and black fruits, animal notes of musk and fur, and often a touch of licorice after some bottle aging. They are powerful, with balanced tannins, a soft mouthfeel and good acidity. These are generally robust wines.
