menu
Member Sign In
  • IWFS Homepage
  • Blog Home
  • Forums Home
  • Global Forum
  • Contact Us
Close
  • IWFS Homepage
  • Blog Home
  • Forums Home
  • Global Forum
  • Contact Us
    Member Sign In
  • Blog Home
  • Forum Home
  • Global Forum
FOLOW US

Recent Posts

  • Ask Sid: What are smudge pots?
  • CHATEAU PAPE CLEMENT VINTAGES BY BERNARD MAGREZ SHOW MUCH IMPROVED PESSAC-LEOGNAN QUALITY
  • Ask Sid: Which wine did golfer Rory McIlroy drink to celebrate his 2025 Masters win?
  • SEVEN SAN FRANCISCO RESTAURANTS WORTH TRYING
  • Ask Sid: Which classified Bordeaux chateau includes a Jura grape variety in their white wine?

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN CLOS SAINT-JACQUES VERTICAL

October 19th, 2020 by Sid Cross

Most of us Burgundy aficionados believe that the unique vineyard of Clos St. Jacques rates among the very best of the Premier Crus and is most worthy of consideration for elevation to a Grand Cru. This walled clos vineyard of 6.7 hectares north of the village of Gevrey-Chambertin presently has only 5 owners: Armand Rousseau 2.21 ha, Michel & Sylvie Esmonin 1.6 ha, Bruno Clair 1 ha, Louis Jadot 1 ha, and Jean-Marie Fourrier .89 ha. The vineyards are parallel to one another with Rousseau to the southwest, Esmonin to the northeast, and Clair, Jadot & Fourrier in between. The 5 owners all have parcels which cover the vineyard’s entire vertical extent. As Allen Meadows of Burghound puts it – “This means that no producer has an unusually favored position within the vineyard.” According to Remington Norman: “A good Clos St.-Jacques can easily be mistaken for a Chambertin. Domaine Rousseau has always considered that it outclasses their (Grand Cru) Ruchottes, Mazis, and Clos de la Roche, fine as these are, and this potential is reflected in its having more new wood. The wine has fine poise and balance and is rich, full and tightly structured, often with a strong mineral undertone. It carries the class and complexity of a Grand Cru with perhaps a shade less finesse and opulence – but that is a minor matter for what is unquestionably Gevrey’s finest Premier Cru and one of indisputable Grand Cru potential.”

Your scribe is a long time unabashed fan of Rousseau wines as are many other Bourgogne collectors as shown by their ever increasing prices at Auction. Set out some information on Rousseau wines in some detail on this Blog with a June 22, 2015 posting. Described Clos St.-Jacques as having soil with clay at the bottom going to white marly up the slope resulting in a wine that is usually “Fresh Very Harmonious & Tannins Well Integrated. Powerful Intense & Lots of Delicacy.” Carrying all this excess baggage in hand at a vertical last week of 8 Clos St.-Jacques with superbly matched cuisine at Blue Water in Vancouver. Some brief impressions:

2006 Domaine Fourrier Vieille Vigne: Lightest most advanced colour of first flight. Complex stylish bouquet with nuances plus clean good grape selection. Like the elegant statement. A producer to follow.

2003 Domaine Bruno Clair: Red paling rim with open warmer riper bigger fruit aromas expressing the vintage. Full rich rather sappy with nice sweetness. A bit atypical.

2001 Pierre Bouree Fils: Darker deeper but more herbal vegetative notes. Funky at first but blew off. A simpler coarser St.-Jacques from purchased grapes with less dimensions.

2002 Dominique Laurent: Believed to be sourced from Sylvie Esmonin. Dark but not overly oaky as some Laurent wines show. Solid fruit.

2002 Domaine Armand Rousseau: Good comparison of this vineyard from the same vintage. Purchased BCLDB retail January 2006 for $190. Much lighter colour here but young & bright. More balance and appropriate “delicacy” expected from this Clos. 100% new oak and 90% destemmed (as all Rousseau 2002s at that time). No rush. Great future development with more cellaring. Brilliant paired with the quail & prunes course!

1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau: Deepest depth of red of all the wines. Developing but slowly. Admire the “powerful” structure and “intense” flavours so typical of this site. Needs years yet for more complexity to show. Memorable with the outstanding rabbit dish. Group favourite.

1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau: Clearly lightest with very pale edge. More evolved than should be but seeing this on some 1995s now. Good but with some heat on the finish. Disappointing.

1991 Louis Jadot: Also very deep and dark close to the 1999. Jadot tends to be underrated being the only negociant house among the owners. But have to give them credit for purchasing Domaine Clair-Dau starting in 1985 with plantings from 1957 & 1962. Surprises with good fruit and balance from that fantastic vintage showing the best silky textures.

Your scribe has been fortunate to try recently 2 other Rousseau Clos St.-Jacques. The 1989 is more mature and earthy but ready for wonderful enjoyment now. Pure delight! The 1991 treasured at the property is so impressive with minerality, “powerful” concentration, “well integrated & tannic” structure, balanced, textbook styling, and huge potential to be one of their best.


You might also like:
October 19th, 2020 by Sid Cross
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

The object of the Society is to bring together and serve all who believe that a right understanding of good food and wine is an essential part of personal contentment and health and that an intelligent approach to the pleasures and problems of the table offers far greater rewards than the mere satisfaction of appetite.
Andre Simon Wine & Food Society Founder (1933)
© 2025 The International Wine & Food Society (IW&FS) IW&FS
Credits | Privacy | Accessibility