William Kelley on Robertparker.com, January 2021: "This was my first visit to Domaine Jérôme Galeyrand, an exciting producer whose emphasis is on interesting old massal selections of Pinot Noir. There are no grands or premiers crus at this address, but plenty of ancient vines in nicely situated communal lieux-dits in the Côte de Nuits. That's exemplified by the fact the domaine's finest and indeed emblematic wine is not from Gevrey-Chambertin or even Fixin, but rather his Côte de Nuits-Villages Les Rétraits. Galeyrand uses appreciable percentages of whole clusters, pressing with a manual basket press ("cheaper and better" than the alternatives, he contends—and I concur), and his touch with new oak is decidedly light. His 2019s are beautifully perfumed, seductive wines that will drink well out of the gates, exemplifying all the immense appeal of Pinot Noir. And I'd be remiss not to mention that some lovely white wines occupy an increasingly important place in the portfolio, in particular three cuvées of Aligoté that join a growing number of cuvées in Burgundy that are demonstrating exactly what this variety is capable of. I bought some bottles for my own cellar and look forward to sharing them with friends."
This domaine is situated in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the beautiful hamlet of Saint Philibert. Gevrey-Chambertin, Fixin, Marsannay and Côte de Nuits village are specialities of Jérome. Production is tiny and quantities limited.
The charming Jerome arrived here from the Loire valley in the 1980's and has since forged himself an enviable reputation. We were recommended to him by his friend Olivier Lamy and are grateful for the introduction. His trio of Gevrey Chambertin wines are some of the best we have ever tasted. However, do not overlook his tiny production of Marsannay and Fixin. They are both revelantions, whilst his every day Pinot is a wonderful expression of the grape. So silky, so fruit-driven, so fine. He is capturing the style that is in demand at the moment. Purity and elegance is the current desired style. Both are in abundance at this address. You could easily pay three times more for these wines in the current Burgundy merry-go-round. It’s important to find quality and value. That is all here but get in now and stay on the allocation list as this address will be harder to get into as the years go by. At dinner with Jérome he made it perfectly clear to me that he is a happy man. He is being recognised for his stunning wines and has rejected all offers to produce more wine so his level of production is destined to stay at just 20,000 bottles per year. His prices are fair, his wines magical so enjoy this offer now while you can.
Anyone who meets Jérome is instantly attracted to his love of Burgundy. He is now seen as one of the leading lights in the region when it comes to the Aligoté grape. The Aligoté wines here are serious. Incredible elegance, finesse and a real quality that is not often seen. He has championed the grape variety and the results are wonderful. They really are worth buying. They combine a freshness on the nose with richness in the mouth which is very seductive. With friends, he has purchased parcels and rented parcels. From his humble cellar, one can see that this is an enthusiast which magic in his fingers. Humble, unassuming and dedicated to producing great wines. His small winery is at his home and his goal is terroir transparency. Viticulture is organic for 70% of the vineyards and sustainable for 30% with no pesticides and all vines are ploughed. All wines are aged in oak barrels; 12 months for whites and 18 to 24 months for reds.
US Burgundy aficionado Becky Wasserman, winner of last year's Decanter “Hall of Fame Award” is also a great fan. She has enjoyed much success with these wines in her native homeland where the wines now adorn some of the best wine lists in New York and San Francisco. So they are a go-to for Burgundy enthusiasts there.
ALL PRICES IN BOND. WINES ARRIVE JANUARY 2022
