The Land
A Bourgogne Rouge from a top Gevrey producer is rarely just Gevrey fruit, and this one is not either. The 2024 is made from purchased grapes grown in three Côte de Nuits communes: Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Fixin, just north of Gevrey, brings firm, dark-fruited Pinot Noir from limestone and marl. Gevrey adds depth and structure, and Nuits-Saint-Georges, at the southern end of the Côte de Nuits, adds color and spice. Drawing on all three gives a regional Pinot Noir from Burgundy with more Côte de Nuits character than most wines at the Bourgogne level, which are often grown on the flatter land east of the main road or farther south.
The Wine
2024 was one of the hardest vintages Burgundy has seen in years. Rain came again and again through spring and summer, mildew pressure was described by veteran growers as the worst they could remember, and yields fell well below normal across the Côte d'Or. The wines that came through required strict sorting, and they tend to be lighter, fresher and more red-fruited than the ripe run of 2018 to 2022. The Fourrier Bourgogne Rouge 2024 fits that pattern: raspberry, ripe cherry, cherry skin and candied citrus peel on the nose, then crunchy red fruit, fine-grained tannin, a slight bitter edge and a salty finish. Medium-bodied and fresh, it is built to drink over the next several years.
The People
Jean-Marie Fourrier makes wine under two names. The domaine wines come only from family-owned vines at least 30 years old, a rule he set after taking over his father Jean-Claude's estate in 1994. Everything else, including this Bourgogne Rouge, appears under the Jean-Marie Fourrier label, a small négoce he uses for purchased fruit and younger vines. Fourrier trained with Henri Jayer and at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon, and he has become known for a quiet style: little new oak, no racking, no filtration, and wines left to rest on their lees. The Bourgogne is the most direct way into that style, a bottle that shows how he thinks about Pinot Noir without the premier cru price.
Food Pairing
Fresh, red-fruited Pinot Noir is at its best with simple food cooked well. Roast a chicken with lemon, garlic and thyme and serve it with the pan juices; the acidity keeps up with the crisp skin. Grilled salmon with a mustard and dill glaze works because the fine tannin will not fight the fish. A charcuterie board with jambon persillé, saucisson and cornichons plays off the salty finish. Mushroom risotto finished with parmesan brings out the earthier side. This is the Tuesday Burgundy, the bottle to open with dinner when you want something good without making an occasion of it.
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