Bright purple with dark red berry fruit, lovely purity and good ripeness , and a useful touch of freshness behind. Enjoy the silky and satiny texture and the very long finish. This is a graceful rather than foursquare Gevrey-Chambertin.
The 2013 harvest is the latest ever recorded at Burguet, starting 9th October, in the cold more than the rain – there was even some frost one morning. They have three separate sorting stations, though rot varied by sector. Vinification was normal, a long time in tank but a gentle approach. The 2013 is particularly, and consistently, successful chez Burguet.
The Wine Advocate - From a bewildering 26 parcels (the smallest containing 108-year old vines in the lieu-dit of Les Forneaux) the 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes has a generous raspberry and crushed strawberry nose with subtle sous-bois scents. The palate is juicy on the entry with strawberry, maraschino cherry and a pinch of white pepper, with good body on the finish that does not outstay its welcome.
Barrel-chested Alain Burguet has been one of Gevrey’s most respected vignerons for a quarter of a century. He has been making terrific wines in Gevrey Chambertin for nearly thirty years, during which time his techniques have evolved. He left school in 1964 to work in the vines and made his first vintage under his own name in 1972. Alain is approximately two barrels tall by one barrel wide, and his muscular physique could be seen in the wines he made in the 1980s, where the tannins were occasionally too firm for the fruit. His style has evolved since then, the fruit now being picked later and riper to add a richer dimension to his wines. He is now assisted by his two sons, Jean-Luc and Eric.
Most of the 8 hectare domaine consists of village Gevrey Chambertin. Les Justices, En Billard and En Reniard are bottled on their own, alongside two blends – a Gevrey Chambertin Tradition and his excellent ‘Mes Favorites’, made from old vines and favoured sites. There is also a small cuvée of premier cru Les Champeaux, just 0.18 ha. These are supplemented by three negociant cuvées – Chambolle Musigny Les Chardannes, Vosne Romanée 1er cru les Rouges and grand cru Chambertin Clos de Bèze so that Alain can try his hand at making different appellations.