Domaine Jérôme Galeyrand, Billard, Gevrey-Chambertin
From a warmer, single vineyard site between Champerriers and Clos de la Justice in the northern part of Gevrey. The vineyard was planted in 1987 and is mainly made up of deeper, well-drained soil. This wine is usually 100% de-stemmed and is very open and charming as a younger wine.
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.
From a parcel planted in 1987, Galeyrand's 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Billard bursts with notes of blood orange, peonies, rose petals, plums and cherries. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, it's elegantly enveloping, with powdery tannins and a saline finish. Like La Justice, this lieu-dit sits on Gevrey-Chambertin's alluvial fan.
90 points, Wine Advocate (January 2021)
The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin En Billards comes from vines located opposite the cuverie, planted in 1983 after the previous year’s frosts. It has a refined bouquet of red currant, cranberry and light earthy aromas. The palate is well defined with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, taut and quite linear. This is very elegant and harmonious on the finish, with a long aftertaste. Excellent.
(90-92) points, Vinous (October 2020)
The soil is similar to La Justice but with a touch more clay. The vines were planted in 1981 with a few whole bunches used in vinification. Medium purple, very ripe fruit, not cooked but this has rich plums, noticeably more substantial with darker fruit behind.
91 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.
