Predictably, Fourrier's 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques is in another class from his other premier crus of the vintage, or indeed from most wines of its vintage regardless of classification. (For some salient details about Fourrier's share of this great site, consult issue 170.) A perfume-like, profuse and variegated bouquet of red raspberry, maraschino, cinnamon, marigold, and rose leads to a silken-textured though subtly-tannic palate with smoked meat and saline undertones. This finishes with both a kaleidoscopic dynamic of floral, fruit, animal and mineral elements and a sheer length that spell "grand cru" in all but the INAO's official language. The saline savor, persistence of fresh fruit, and tactile cinnamon and ginger impingements just keep drawing down my reserves of saliva. Here is concentration with finesse and an uncanny sense of lift, as well as the proverbial velvet glove over tightly-woven chain mail. Give it at least 4-5 years in your cellar and then anticipate another 8-10 of glorious fascination. A lucky few will be able to witness when (or whether) the 2005 – superb as it, too, is – manages to overtake this.

David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate #186, Dec 2009)

Good deep red. Highly perfumed nose features crushed blueberry, raspberry and violet; it's hard even to imagine a scent like this from pinot noir made outside Burgundy. Densely packed but magically light on its feet, with superb finesse and definition to its raspberry and floral flavors. Wonderfully pure, vibrant wine that finishes with extremely suave tannins, an almost electric impression of lift and great lingering floral perfume. Give this at least six or seven years of bottle aging.

The 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques 1er Cru from Jean-Marie Fourrier is similar to the bottle tasted two years earlier. It has a lovely, quite earthy, rose petal scented bouquet, that tertiary aspect becoming more pronounced with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, still stylish and quite sumptuous for a 2006, though it does not quite deliver the complexity of the very finest vintages from Jean-Marie Fourrier, just tailing off a tad towards the finish. Tasted at the Gevrey-Chambertin lunch at China Tang in Hong Kong.

Darkly sweet fruit yet still has lifted perfume, and a touch of spice. Subtle, inviting. Dryly smooth. Long, very good but not cheap. (JH)

Sweet nose with a hint of mousiness. Lots of acidity and tannin. Really quite savage at the moment. Hard work! (JR)