The Philippe Jouan Gevrey Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieilles Vignes 2023 is an absolute 'wow' wine with Grand Cru pedrigree at a much nicer price, with Jouan's 'secret' parcel of 80 year-old vines adjoining Charmes-Chambertin. The Jouan style is classic Burgundy, full of darker red fruits, spice, mineral, with those Francois Freres barrels adding a sauvage element and more spice to the mix.
As one heads down Morey St. Denis' Grand Rue from the old cellars of the great Jacky Truchot, off a little side street that leads past La Bussière and 1er cru Les Ruchots, one finds the cellars and courtyard of Philippe Jouan. Henri, Philippe's dad, was a contemporary and friend of the great Jacky Truchot. The two developed their wine-making skills concurrently, and Philippe steadfastly follows his father's winemaking path.
It is a tiny domaine with some great terroirs, and a large percentage of old vines. Just a little over 4 hectares total, the 'lineup' here is impressive, with century vines scattered through their parcels all the way from their humble Coteau Bourguignon up to their Clos St. Denis Grand Cru, of which they share a portion with Joseph Drouhin.
Grapes are typically de-stemmed, with 10 to 15% whole-bunch fermentation in cooler vintages. The musts tend to undergo short macerations of 12 to 14 days, then pressed off with a 100-year-old wooden press bought by Philippe’s great-grandfather. The wines typically see 25 to 40% new oak, the majority from François Frères.
Among the winery's arsenal of tiny parcels is this beauty, Gevrey Chambertin Aux Echezeaux. This vineyard is tucked directly into the folds of Charmes Chambertin's Grand Cru (the red)! It's an odd one, it sure looks like this site should also be Grand Cru, simply an extension of Charmes. But its actually designated as 'Village', not even Premier Cru! A loss for the Jouans, a win for you and me as this wine is a fraction the price it could be. |
