Eric Rousseau peruses the wine list at Chez Guy, a chic restaurant favored by vignerons in the center of Gevrey-Chambertin. He settles on a Gevrey-Chambertin 2016 from Domaine Duroché, a colleague in the village. Decorations from the past weekend's festival of Saint Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers, remain installed in the town and clearly, there is pride and camaraderie among the Gevrey growers.
Humble, boyish, and soft-spoken, with smiling eyes, only the creases on his face bear witness to 40 years working in the vineyards. He raises his glass when proprietor Guy Rebsamen pours a taste. "C'est bon," he says and nods as if recognizing an old friend.
Rousseau knows the terroirs of Gevrey-Chambertin well. As the owner of Domaine Armand Rousseau, he farms parcels in some of its best climates, including sizable holdings in Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Ruchottes-Chambertin, and Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.Jacques, an exalted premier cru that many Burgundy aficionados consider to be of grand cru quality.
His meticulous cultivation of the Pinot Noir grapes in these plots results in wines that are prized around the globe. The wines always reveal the purity of fruit, with superb harmony, complexity, and length and a vibrant feel that lends finesse and energy. The oak is never obtrusive, even in the top three-Clos St.-Jacques, Clos de Bèze, and Chambertinwhich sometimes age in 100% new oak Burgundy pièces. In short, they are benchmark wines for both the commune and the region.
The philosophy chez Rousseau is neither a mystery nor complicated and has remained consistent over three generations. "Our philosophy, really, is to bring Pinot Noir in the bottle as naturally as possible through our work in the vineyards, the vinification, and aging,” says Rousseau. “I think our clients come here and they find the wines agreeable, wines of pleasure."
Denne historien er fra May 31, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
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Denne historien er fra May 31, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
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Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
