Domaine Groffier 2022 Lieux Dits Offer

Directly below the Grand Cru Bonnes Mares. Wildly different to everything else tasted so far. Darker in colour and personality. Nicolas explains his parcels have blue clay and ironstone, giving them more warmth and breadth. The bunches are noticeable but settled in to the expansive fruit nicely. Straight lined and muscular tannins. Tensile wine with great vitality despite its size. Powerhouse of flavour that hits your mouth with real conviction and intent. It’s a great Premier Cru but patience is advised. ROSCOE

Sentiers is on the border with Morey and shares some of its character. According to Nicolas Groffier, just 40cm of iron-rich clay covers the limestone here. He ferments the wine completely as whole clusters and ages it in cask (one-third new). The finished wine has a deep fig and plum fruit with hints of earth, iron, and tar. The texture is firmly tannic but leavened by the finesse of Chambolle. The overall result is impressive, if a bit fearsome at present – let this settle for five to seven years before opening for best results. (95) DECANTER

The 2022 Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru offers darker, earthier fruit than the Les Seuvrées, with touches of loam and wild hedgerow, all finely delineated. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and tensile, with sappy red fruit and a linear, reserved finish. You would think this comes from a cooler vintage, as it is very classical in style NEAL MARTIN

35% new wood, 90% whole bunches. A bright plump purple colour. Lively fruit suggesting some iron in the soil. Nicolas tells me there is lots in the lower part of the vineyard. Perhaps he could make his upper and lower parts separately, sand v iron rich clay? Fresh acidity behind, after red fruit, strawberry, with a blood orange nose. JASPER MORRIS MW

Just under the Grand Cru Mazoyeres ou Charmes, limestone base here. The average vine age, like all of Groffiers sites, is very old, around 60 years here. The soil is sandy resulting in super fine tannins and sappy, bright fruit. Nicolas says “the soil here is deep, but it’s not loud”.
It’s overall impression is one of vibrancy and freshness. So pure and red fruited with lovely florality. A certain crunchy element sets off the super vibrant palate. A vein of saline minerality. Long, subtly broadening out on the finish suggesting further richness to come with time. Gorgeous and good Premier Cru Gevrey quality here. Excellent. ROSCOE

The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées has a lovely bouquet that exudes Pinoté, very pure and delineated, with seamlessly integrated oak—perhaps touching Premier Cru in quality. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry. Tensile, with vibrant, slightly tart red fruit and a slight herbaceous edge on the finish (doubtlessly emanating from the stem addition), this is quite an absorbing Gevrey-Chambertin. I am intrigued to see it age, despite its openness and pliant tannins. Give this at least two years in bottle. The 2022 is certainly in a different league than the previous vintage. NEAL MARTIN

The Gevrey has been made with 20% new wood and one third whole bunch. Fresh mid purple. The fruit on the nose is a little showier than the Bourgogne, perhaps the proportion of younger vines, perhaps the whole bunches. Super fruit on the palate, energetic fresh raspberries with cherries behind, rounded, long generous with a pleasing crunch JASPER MORRIS MW