Gevrey-Chambertin is where the Côte de Nuits begins in earnest, and it is the biggest village appellation on that stretch of the Côte d'Or. It makes red wine only, from Pinot Noir, and the style is the most muscular in Burgundy: dark cherry, blackcurrant and violet when young, turning to liquorice, leather and game with age. The village was plain Gevrey until 1847, when it was allowed to attach the name of its most famous vineyard, Chambertin, a wine Napoleon is said to have loved. Neighbours such as Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée later did the same.
Gevrey-Chambertin wine in its three tiers of quality
Think of it in three tiers. Village Gevrey-Chambertin comes from vines around the village and down on the flatter land towards the main road, plus some vines in neighbouring Brochon. It is firm, fruit-driven Pinot that rewards five or so years in the cellar. Look for the words Vieilles Vignes, which usually means older vines and a denser wine, and for named single sites like Les Evocelles, Clos de Meixvelle or La Justice.
Above that come the 26 Premier Crus, most of them on the slope west of the village around the Combe de Lavaux. Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Les Cazetiers, Aux Combottes and Les Corbeaux are the names you will see most. Then there is Clos Saint-Jacques, a Premier Cru only on paper. Many writers rank it with the Grand Crus, and it often costs more than several of them.
The nine Chambertin Grand Crus of Gevrey
South of the village, on the band of limestone and marl between the road and the hill, sit nine Grand Crus, every one of them with Chambertin in the name. Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze are the pair at the top, with Clos de Bèze tracing its vines back to monks in the 7th century. Around them are Mazis-Chambertin (which Rousseau labels Mazy), Ruchottes, Latricières, Chapelle, Griotte, Charmes and Mazoyères. Mazoyères may legally be sold as Charmes-Chambertin, so you rarely see its own name on a label. Charmes is the largest and usually the most generous young, while Chambertin itself is the one to lay down for decades.
The Gevrey producers worth knowing by name
Domaine Armand Rousseau is the reference point here, with Chambertin, Clos de Bèze and Clos Saint-Jacques that collectors queue for, and our Armand Rousseau collection goes back through older vintages. Dugat-Py makes dark, concentrated Gevrey from old vines, while Claude Dugat, Denis Mortet, Domaine Fourrier and Domaine Trapet are all rooted in the village. For Grand Cru from outside Gevrey's own families, try Dujac's Charmes, Roumier's Ruchottes or Faiveley's Clos de Bèze Ouvrées Rodin. Value lives with growers like Tortochot, Hubert Lignier, Pierre Gelin, Arlaud and Bruno Clavelier, where a village or Premier Cru shows the house style for far less.
All of it is Pinot Noir sold by independent wine merchants, and plenty of it sits in our fine wine range with vintages stretching back into the 1990s.
Frequently asked questions about Gevrey-Chambertin wine
What is the price of Gevrey-Chambertin wine?
Village bottles from good growers start around €55 to €70. Premier Crus mostly sit between roughly €100 and a few hundred, and the Grand Crus, above all Chambertin and Clos de Bèze from the top domaines, can reach well into four figures.
What does Gevrey-Chambertin taste like?
Dark red fruit, violet and a firm, velvety tannin when young. With time it picks up liquorice, leather and gamey notes. It is fuller and more structured than neighbouring Chambolle-Musigny.
Premier Cru or Grand Cru: which should I buy?
A top Premier Cru like Lavaux Saint-Jacques or Cazetiers gives you much of the Grand Cru experience for less money and opens sooner. Buy Grand Cru when you want the extra depth and can wait ten years or more.
How long does Gevrey-Chambertin age?
Village wines drink well between about five and fifteen years old. Premier and Grand Crus from good vintages can go twenty years or longer.
What food goes with Gevrey-Chambertin?
Game birds, venison, rib of beef, braised lamb and washed-rind cheeses such as Époisses. Serve it at 15 to 16°C.