2014 Domaine Fourrier Bourgogne Blanc

Domaine Fourrier is a 22.5-acre estate in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation of Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. In the mid-20th century this domaine was called Pernot-Fourrier, and it is now run by Jean-Marie Fourrier, who took over from his father Jean-Claude in 1995. Jean-Marie worked for Henri Jayer and Domaine Drouhin in Oregon before returning to the family estate. Since his return the domaine’s wines have earned high praise from wine writers, including Clive Coates, who has written of Jean-Marie: “This young man is a thinker…There are brilliant wines here.” Jean-Claude is considered a rising star in Burgundy and Coates has more recently written that “The Fourrier estate is one of the very best in Burgundy.” The domain has a parcel of Grand Cru Griotte-Chambertin, and Premier Cru parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny.

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.