2018 Gevrey Chambertin Champ

Le Clos is followed by the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin En Champ, from a parcel planted between 1969 and 1973 on the Brochon side of the appellation where soils are stonier. Exhibiting aromas of cherries, cassis, forest floor and truffles, it's medium to full-bodied and a bit more tangy and structured, with good length and definition on the finish.

Le Clos is followed by the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin En Champ, from a parcel planted between 1969 and 1973 on the Brochon side of the appellation where soils are stonier. Exhibiting aromas of cherries, cassis, forest floor and truffles, it's medium to full-bodied and a bit more tangy and structured, with good length and definition on the finish. As I wrote last year, the quietly confident Pierre Duroché—who once represented France in rock climbing—took over this eight-hectare Domaine in 2005. He knows what he wants to achieve and is well on the way to achieving it. Blessed with an enviable patrimony of vineyard holdings and plenty of old vines too, his hand-harvested grapes see gentle macerations and élevage with decidedly modest percentages of new wood. Stems, thoughtfully employed, are increasingly part of the equation. The ensuing wines are beautifully fragrant, with filigree tannins, vibrant fruit tones and sneaky persistence. Duroché harvested early in 2018 and has produced a lovely range of fragrant, elegant and unusually vibrant wines that I can't wait to taste again from bottle. His 2017s, which I also revisited, are showing beautifully, capturing all the inherent charm of the vintage. In short, Domaine Duroché continues its ascent, and readers who haven't yet taken notice should do so before it's too late. (WK)