Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Clos Saint Jacques" AOC 2022

The Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 2022 by Bruno Clair is a Pinot Noir from one of the premier crus of Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte de Nuits, cool in tone and taut in structure. Clear, juicy fruit meets a fine austerity and a saline line that holds the wine together. Silky tannin, a long mineral pull, little showiness: a wine for the table that gains complexity with age.

Clos Saint-Jacques ranks among the prized holdings of Domaine Bruno Clair, alongside Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Bonnes-Mares and Corton-Charlemagne. The site gives the wine a cooler tone, tighter tension and precise length. Working from Marsannay-la-Côte, the family farms 27 hectares across eight villages of the Côte d'Or and bottles 32 appellations. Cover cropping and forgoing herbicides have long been standard practice.

Pinot Noir, vinified dry, 13.0% ABV. In the cellar, the guiding principle is: as much as necessary, as little as possible. Spontaneous fermentation is standard, extraction remains measured, and 20 to 50 percent whole clusters go into the fermentation vat. Ageing lasts 18 to 20 months in barrique, with new oak accounting for 20 to 50 percent. Time handles the clarification: the wines rest long enough to be bottled without artifice.

Ruby red with violet reflections, with dark berry fruit, herbal spice and a cool mineral note on the nose. Juicy and lean on the palate, with silky tannin, a taut saline line and a long, precise finish.

With roast duck breast with cherries, saddle of venison with juniper jus or pan-seared turbot with black truffles. Also pairs well with ripe Époisses or Comté.

Bruno Clair founded his estate in 1986 with seven hectares from the dissolved Domaine Clair-Daü, whose vineyards had come together in 1919 through the marriage of Joseph Clair and Marguerite Daü. Since 2010, son Edouard has worked alongside him in the vineyard and vinification; since 2018, Arthur has overseen cellar ageing and Margaux has handled shipping and logistics. Allocations are scarce.