I had a wonderful visit to Jerome Galeyrand this year. This was my 2nd time visiting Jerome and I got to know him much better this time. He is all business, pays so much attention to detail, is very open to experimentation and is not bogged down in dogma or labeling himself. The wines, I cannot stress this enough, are absolutely top class and on the same level as Herve Murat as well as two producers that we don't work with anymore (and whose prices have now skyrocketed) Thomas Bouley in Volnay and Domaine Duroche in Gevrey. Jerome is on this level. To put it mildly, these are some of the best values, as they are presently priced. As I've said before and I will say again he is like a cross between Murat and Fourrier. He has the ridiculous fruit intensity of Murat and the finesse and breed of Fourrier. These are very serious wines. I've shipped a few 14s of Jerome's and I think he made the best 13s maybe in my entire book. His 14s though, raise the bar a bit more; they are more refined and more mineral than the 13s. I adore his 14s. They are chiseled, refined wines with glorious amounts of fruit. His style is one of finesse, freshness and terrific pure Pinot fruit. He is a rising star and at these prices, the value cannot be overstated. If the past is prologue, buy as much as you can at these prices as they will certainly increase in price.
Today I have the second vintage of the brilliant 2014 Jerome Galeyrand Cotes de Nuits Villages for as little as $29.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. I truly adore this wine; it's so wonderful and joyous. Really high toned sick nose. Huge fruit and spice. A puppy pleaser of a Pinot with incredible Pinosity and tannins. He sells out of this in France and doesn't care about selling to America and only sells wine to people in small quantities. Consider yourself privileged and honored to drink this wine. It really only goes inside France and Belgium and the Far East. One of the best values I have offered in Burgundy. This can be enjoyed upon release and will last 10 years. It's a wine I grab for as much as Murat Clos Duc.
This is a wine near and dear to Jerome Galeyrand's heart as it is made from the first parcels he acquired, it is his biggest appellation and Jerome's customers that know about it buy it religiously as it is a signature wine. It is as Jerome told me, a wine for "for Pinot lovers." It is so pure. So unmistakably Pinot Noir. The CDNV for short is an interesting appellation as it encompasses areas in the North and South of the Cote de Nuits. Most producers use either fruit from the north or the south but Jerome blends from both. The parcel "Les Retraits" is in the northern end of Comblanchien (which he bottled some old vines separately in 2014 for a special cuvée which I offered) and abuts the NSG 1er Cru Monopole of JF Mugnier, "Clos de Marechale." The vines are 80 years old. The southern parcel "Vignois" is in Brochon in the southern area. These are a bit younger being planted in 1947. They are vinified separately and then blended.
Up next is Jerome's Grand Cru per se. As he only has village level sites in Gevrey each one progresses in quality and the 2014 Jerome Galeyrand Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes which can be had for as little as $53.99 per bottle on a 4-pack is his top bottling. Definite Fass 4-3-1 plan as this is a massively awesome wine. It is insane actually. It has huge late breaking tannins which is the standout part of the wine for me. When you taste it you are like, "wow this is great but I can tell from the structure that this is going to be spectacular in 5 years." The late breaking tannins have to come from the terroir. This was labeled "En Croissete" last year but is VV this year. It was remarkable. The tannins are perfectly ripe and plentiful. But they are mixed with dense and ripe black cherry fruit. Beautiful purity. Beautiful wine. You can really tell this wine is a significant step up than all his other wines. The nose has a deep cherry element and so much gamey meaty Gevrey character once it properly aerates. It is so aromatic after some air. And there is remarkable freshness and precision. I am VERY lucky to have him and be able to sell these wines at these prices. Because of the tannic structure this is a wine I recommend for the cellar. But it can be enjoyed young as the fruit is exuberant. This is an epic wine.
2014 Jerome Galeyrand Cotes de Nuits Villages - $31.99 ($119.96 4-pack)
2014 Jerome Galeyrand Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes - $55.99 ($215.96 4-pack)
No comments:
Post a Comment