Gevray Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys 2015 – Domaine Pierre Naigeon

The perfectly ripe and healthy grapes to produce Gevray Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys Domaine Pierre Naigeon  were hand harvested, with every bunch being delicately picked into small bins. The grapes of Gevray Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys Domaine Pierre Naigeon then underwent a meticulous manual sorting, before the whole bunches were gently pulled into the fermenters without the use of a pump. The fermentation started naturally with a cold soak, using indigenous yeasts from the vineyard. During the fermentation process several “pigeages” or “plunging down of the cap” took place. Maceration followed the fermentation with skin contact for a couple of days, before being racked by gravity into barrels. The wine was matured for 12 months in French oak barrels in the 17th Century cellar, where the natural temperature is perfect for the wine throughout the year. No fining or filtration took place to preserve the natural qualities of the wine. Bottled by hand, by gravity.

The vineyard is located in the Premier Cru named vineyard of ‘Fontenys’, in the appellation of Geverey Chambertin. Situated between the village itself and the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru hill, the vineyard rises up the hillside and the vineyard or ‘climat’ in French, covers just 3.5 hectares. It is here that the high quality of the limestone soils, perfect for the Pinot Noir variety, has led to the classification of Premier Cru, rather than just village wine.

Domaine Pierre Naigeon is a leading and renowned producer in the Côtes de Nuits. The Naigeon family has been established in Gevrey-Chambertin for over 150 years. They acquired some vines and started to produce wine in 1890. The estate remained reasonably small until 2003 when Pierre purchased more land increasing their holdings to 11.5 hectares. Pierre Naigeon believes passionately in sustainable farming, without the use of herbicides. He believes in non-interventionist winemaking and aims to produce wines full of fragrance, revealing the natural terroir. The average age of his vines is remarkably high, mostly over 50 years, which endows the wines with extraordinary quality, maturity and concentration.