2012 Gevrey Chambertin La Justice

Mid cherry red. Just-toasty dark-red fruit with a light note of Marmite (yeast extract) meatiness. Firm but gentle on the palate, velvet tannins and a long finish, with just enough freshness. (JH)

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice is the second vintage produced from the domaine’s 0.26-hectare parcel of 60-year-old vines. It offers plenty of red cherry and blackcurrant pastille aromas on the vivacious nose, even if it does not quite possess the delineation of the Clos Prieur. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded, succulent entry: vibrant red fruit laced with tangy marmalade and orange rind. There is good weight and plenty of extraction on the finish, a wine to be relished in its flush of youth (even if it does possess the substance to merit 4-5 years in bottle.) Drink now-2017. ||I encountered Alexandrine Roy’s wines at their UK importer’s tasting in London – one of those pleasant discoveries that never fail to brighten up the day. She is the 4th generation of the Roy family to farm their holdings that mostly cluster around Gevrey-Chambertin and she seems to be virtually a one-(wo)man band doing everything herself at the domaine. This is a small domaine of around four hectares, the fruit entirely de-stemmed and fermented with natural yeasts. Her quintet of 2012s were all very commendable, especially the excellent “Clos Prieur” and Cuvee Alexandrine”. We need more quality Gevrey growers as we cannot all afford the likes of Rousseau or Dugat-Py, so this was a welcome find. Wine Advocate.February, 2014