Pierre was one of our first appointments in November and set the bar high as always. The global demand for his Grands Crus means allocations are keenly fought over but the quality and value across the range is always exciting and we are pleased to have a good supply of Pierre’s various expressions of Gevrey Chambertin. In 2018 all the wines were picked in the first week of September and ABV is between 12.5-13.5%. New oak is kept to a minimum and there is 20% whole bunch for the 1er crus and up. The wines were bottled without fining or filtering in November. Pierre suggests the wines have the fruit of 2015 but with riper, silkier tannins and greater elegance, due to the water reserves from the heavy winter and spring rains. It was certainly a super set – from Bourgogne to Beze, and finishing our tasting with a 1969 Lavaut Saint Jacques (blind) shows that for all their deftness and elegance, Duroché’s wines are built to last.
Wow – what a superstar, this presses all the right buttons and sets the tone for Pierre’s wines this vintage: purity, focus and tension, red plum juiciness, and some further depths that will develop. This is irresistibly attractive, delicious from end to end with a vibrant finish. Yes please.Tom, Wine Guru
The 2018 Bourgogne Rouge has a lovely strawberry shortcake bouquet of fine definition; simple but charming. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red berry fruit, a fine bead of acidity and a pretty, lightly spiced finish. This will serve as a perfect introduction to Duroché. It was due for bottling in December 2019. 88-90/100, Neal Martin, Vinous