1985 Griotte Chambertin
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Finally, there was a 1985 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Jean-Claude Fourrier, the father of present winemaker Jean-Marie. This was my second bottle, the first having turned up at a private La Paulée in 2018. It was deep in color with plenty of pastille-like red fruit on the nose, crushed strawberry mingling with cranberry, orange peel and light ferrous scents. The palate was firm and sinewy, grippy and, perhaps like the domaine’s wines of this era, a tad rustic and brutish toward the finish. Yet its backbone has held it up for 35 years, and while I cannot envisage improvement, it will certainly give another decade of drinking pleasure.
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The 1985 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru was made by Jean-Marie’s father, Jean-Claude. It has a delightful bouquet with redcurrant, cranberry, woodland (tree bark?) and iron rust aromas. Given that this era is not as renowned for the domaine as the present, this punches well above my expectations. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, undeniably rather rustic and a little hard towards its stocky conclusion. But I like the grip of this wine and its length, a Griotte that is aware of its faults but is yearning to give as much pleasure as possible in its third decade. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune.
This 1985 is too alcoholic and only average in color, and should have been bottled months before it actually was. The wine is tasty, ripe, and supple, but it is dangerously low in acidity, has a soupy texture, and lacks definition. It has to be drunk young in order to be enjoyed.
About the producer
Domaine Fourrier is located in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin. The estate has been run by Jean-Marie Fourrier since 1994, and has rapidly become one of the village’s most fashionable names, known for producing pure and transparent Pinot Noir.