Fourrier

The history of Domaine Fourrier

The story begins in the 1930s with Fernand Pernot, who assembled the vineyard holdings and, with remarkable foresight, acquired plots in Gevrey-Chambertin’s finest climats. The property later became Pernot-Fourrier when his nephew Jean-Claude Fourrier joined the business, before taking full control in 1969. At the time, the estate was among the first in Burgundy to export its wines to the United States, although quality dipped slightly during the 1980s.

The turning point came in 1994, when fourth-generation Jean-Marie Fourrier took over the estate at just twenty-three. Having trained with the legendary Henri Jayer and then at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon, he brought a clear vision: to reveal the terroir as purely as possible through precise viticulture and minimal intervention in the cellar. He established a firm rule never to bottle fruit from vines under thirty years old under the estate’s own label; those grapes are sold to négociants. In 2007, a new winery finally made it possible to vinify all ten hectares on site. In 2011, Jean-Marie Fourrier also launched a small-scale négociant business under his own name, allowing him to work leased plots in prestigious climats, including several grands crus.

Terroirs and vines of Domaine Fourrier

The vineyards extend across four Côte de Nuits communes, forming a mosaic of seventy plots from the foot to the top of the slope. Gevrey-Chambertin remains the heart of the estate, with holdings in some of Burgundy’s most renowned climats: Clos Saint-Jacques, Combe aux Moines, Champeaux, Les Goulots, Les Cherbaudes and Griotte-Chambertin. The clay-limestone soils vary considerably, from exposed limestone slabs higher up to stony scree midway down and more clay-rich ground at the foot of the slope.

The estate’s true hallmark is the age of its vines. Most were planted between the 1920s and 1950s and average fifty to seventy years old, with some plots over a century old: the Clos Saint-Jacques vines date from 1902 to 1910, while those in Griotte-Chambertin date to 1928, making them the oldest in the cru. Jean-Marie Fourrier sums up his belief in one sentence: until a vine has developed its root system, it does not develop flavor. Vineyard management is rigorous, with precise pruning, judicious leaf removal and soil cultivation, but no green harvesting; balance is pursued from the outset.

Winemaking at Domaine Fourrier

Winemaking aims for maximum transparency. Grapes are harvested by hand and rigorously sorted. Destemming varies by vintage and climat, and the grapes are never crushed or handled roughly. Fermentation begins using only indigenous yeasts, with exceptionally gentle extraction and no pursuit of power or color, preserving the perfume and silky texture that define the estate’s wines.

The wines then spend sixteen to twenty months aging on their lees, with very little racking to limit handling and oxygen exposure. New oak is deliberately capped at around twenty percent, even for the finest crus; most barrels are used so they never obscure the character of the climat. Jean-Marie Fourrier has also experimented with amphora aging for certain cuvées. Sulfur additions are kept to a strict minimum, and bottling is carried out with the utmost care, yielding wines whose balance, elegance and complexity have become a benchmark.

The cuvées of Domaine Fourrier

Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vigne: a blend of around fifteen old-vine plots planted between the 1920s and 1950s, averaging nearly eighty years of age. It brings together the rocky limestone of Champerrier, the clay of Jouise and the suppleness of Seuvrées near the Morey boundary, offering a complete portrait of the village. Red and black fruit mingle with blood orange and quince, alongside a fluid, refined texture, lively acidity and satisfying length.

Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Echezeaux Vieille Vigne: a village-level named vineyard at the far north of the appellation, on the Brochon boundary, in an area that produces wines with a more pronounced tannic framework. It offers unusual complexity for a village wine, with ripe black cherry fruit, a silky texture and an underlying mineral drive, plus enough structure to develop well in bottle.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes: a premier cru just below Chambertin, on deep clay-limestone soils. It combines richness, density and fine tannic structure, with black cherry, blackberry and sweet spice. One of the most complete and consistent premiers crus in the range.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots: a little-known, small climat tucked into the Combe de Lavaux, with a northeastern exposure that preserves remarkable freshness. The wine emphasizes finesse and precision, with tart red fruit, a floral hint and incisive minerality. A highly sought-after rarity.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux: high on the slope, on lean, very stony soil, this climat produces a firm, energetic and deeply mineral wine. The tannins are fine but present, with black fruit underpinned by pronounced salinity. A premier cru built for long aging.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines: one of the estate’s great classics, rich yet always controlled. The bouquet blends bright sour cherries, wild strawberry and orange zest. The palate is fleshy and spicy, lifted by white pepper, sage and oregano through the finish. Its depth and salinity make it a dependable choice.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques: often described as a hidden grand cru, this legendary climat has just five owners. Fourrier holds just under ninety ares here, planted at the very beginning of the 20th century. The wine has explosive, floral aromatics, an almost ethereal quality, vivid red fruit, a cascade of spice and a mineral backbone of striking purity. One of the most coveted cuvées in all of Burgundy.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques Cuvée Centenaire: an exceptional cuvée made only in outstanding vintages from the plot’s oldest vines, all of them a century old. It offers even greater concentration, depth and length, while remaining supremely elegant. A collector’s bottle produced in quantities of just a few hundred.

Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru Vieille Vigne: the estate’s only wholly owned grand cru, from vines planted in 1928, among the oldest in this small climat. The wine combines aromas of sour cherry and macerated red fruit with floral notes and a texture of rare refinement. Its long, saline finish reveals the full distinction of this tiny terroir. Minuscule production and worldwide demand make it a difficult bottle to find.

Morey-Saint-Denis Clos Solon Vieille Vigne: a village-level named vineyard in Morey, tended with the same care as the crus. It charms with surprising finesse for an appellation often seen as more rustic, offering crisp red fruit, a hint of forest floor and supple tannins. Charming and remarkably easy to drink.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbès: a premier cru high above the village on well-drained, stony soils. It has more structure and depth than Clos Solon, with denser black fruit, spice and a firm mineral backbone that calls for a few years in the cellar.

Chambolle-Musigny Vieille Vigne: the most floral and delicate expression in the range, true to the village’s reputation. Rose, violet and wild strawberry lead, with a silky texture, remarkably fine tannins and an airy, perfumed finish.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Gruenchers: a small climat neighboring Les Amoureuses, it adds depth and minerality to Chambolle’s hallmark finesse. Raspberry, cherry, violet and chalky tannins form a wonderfully delicate whole, enlivened by vibrant acidity.

Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots: a rare premier cru outside the Clos de Vougeot, on clay-limestone soils. The wine combines fleshiness, ripe red fruit and a saline mineral backbone in a supple, appetizing style that can be enjoyed fairly young yet will age for ten years.