Ric visits Domaine Pierre Damoy

I must admit it was only earlier this year through FICOFI that I came to know about Domaine Pierre Damoy, in spite of the fact that it has the largest holdings of Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, a whopping 5.4 hectares that is practically a third of this hallowed plot. A family-owned business since the 1920s, this estate is now run by the fourth generation, a most affable and unassuming gentleman also called Pierre who is now into his 26th vintage as winemaker. Meeting us in his working clothes at Gevrey itself on the morning of 21 November 2017, one can tell right away Pierre is a 100-percent hands-on person. There is also a perfectionist streak in him too as he lamented that the packaging boxes were not designed to his satisfaction, even though they already appear highly appealing to our eyes. We walked through the small and messy (always a good sign about these smaller producers, in my opinion) technical workshop before trooping down into the cellars, again a smallish place. Here, Pierre had prepared for us ten different wines for tasting, all from 2016.

As he poured for us his wines, Pierre lamented on the small production of yield of that vintage such that he is simply unable to meet demand, as well as, perhaps, the bigger issue of how he is going to pass on the reins. Here, Pierre already has plans for his youngest son. It also appears his lovely teenage daughter has shown a growing interest in the day-to-day running of the estate, which bodes well for him. The domaine makes almost all reds, though there is, of late, a tiny production of Bourgogne blanc. As we tasted through the wines, they struck me as being very well crafted, wines of great extraction and ripeness (but not overdone), subtly structured and well balanced, capable of revealing the subtle differences between different terroir, stuff that Napoleon himself (who loved Chambertin) would have cherished. This is a very fine address in Gevrey-Chambertin. See if you can find his wines in your local retailer.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Bourgogne blanc. Highly aromatic. Very inviting notes of crème and chalky minerals. Crisp in acidity, very generous. Fat. Very correct Refreshing, finished well. Excellent. Only 600 litres made with grapes mostly from Fixin.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Bourgogne rouge. Lovely hue. Robust with dark cherries, rose petals and some bright spots. Well extracted with some wood from the 30% stems. Rounded, subtly structured with good flavours. Very fine.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Fixin Les Mogottes. Clear ruby, showing ripe cherries and dark strawberries with good acidity and concentration, slightly lean. Good linearity with good flavours but not much structure. Fresh mouthfeel. Not at all thin. Good stuff.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin. Deep colour. Generous aromas of red fruits and dark cherries, showing very good concentration and structure. Harmonious with crisp fine tension. Good length.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot monopole. Deep ruby. Seriously deep on the bouquet and palate showing dark red fruits with some earthiness. Rounded and fleshy with seamless acidity, subtly structured with supple tannins. Truly excellent, regardless that it’s a village.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep colour. Delicious notes of ripe dark cherries and currants. Well extracted with lovely concentration, highly supple with sweet subtle tannins, finishing well. Very elegant and feminine in spite of its proportions.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru. Glorious colour. Ripe in raspberries and cherries. Full and tight, showing great concentration and intensity with fine definition even at this early stage. Superb acidity. Ferrous trace at finish. Well structured without any jarring edges. Only 3 barrels. Excellent.

Expensive stains

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru. Beautiful colour with tones of lifted ripe cherries and raspberries, good in concentration with a certain deftness, not heavy at all, showing great balance and acidity with some emerging chocolate, finishing with great integration amidst very fine intensity. Absolutely on song. Should gain greater opulence in bottle. Outstanding.

2016 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Reserve. Very deep in colour with even deeper sweet delicious flavours, rich in concentration of dark fruits, very well layered, showing excellent ripeness with traces chocolate and mocha, finishing with chewy supple tannins, subtly structured. Only 500 bottles. Comes from certain vines within the plot that Pierre has noticed are distinctly special.

2007 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru. Offered as a bonus, this wine now aged ten years is distinctly more complex in dark currants and dark fruits, superb in layering with deep rich flavours, yet deft and flowing with superb integration of fruit, acidity and refined tannins. Highly sophisticated without calling attention to itself. A wine of great finesse and refinement.

M. Pierre Damoy and yours truly