2012 Domaine Dominique Gallois Gevrey Chambertin

Dominique usually bottles his “Les Petits Cazetiers” and “Goulots” separately, but this year the quantities were too small and so they were blended to form the 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru. It has plenty of forest floor aromas infused the red berry fruit with good vigor and delineation. The palate is ripe and dense on the entry. The acidity is nicely judged, although the new oak (100%) is a little oppressive towards the finish. Hopefully that will be subsumed with time.

I made a brief visit to this domaine, just down the road from Joseph Roty in Gevrey-Chambertin. The domaine was founded by Dominique Gallois’s great-grandfather, but the wines were sold to negoce up until he took over from his father, Jean. It is a small collection of holdings that cover around 4-hectares that are farmed lutte raisonee. These are well-crafted expressions of their respective climats, with judicious use of oak, dependable and trustworthy wines that have the substance to age well. They do not possess the profound complexity of the appellation’s top producers, but they are still worth seeking out.

Importers: various importers including Frederick Wildman (NY), The Wine House (CA), Country Vintners (VI), Boston Wine Company (MA) A. Bommarito Wines (MO) and Fine Wines (IL). Also available through Liberty Wines in the UK.