Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Les Cazetiers" 1500ml

The term "Cazetier" originates from "Castel", the parcel situated just above the Château de Gevrey. It is one of the rare "Têtes de Cuvée" to not have been reclassified as a Grand Cru in the 1930's. Along with "Lavaux-Saint-Jacques" and "Clos Saint-Jacques", this climat is considered to be one of the best Premiers Crus in Gevrey. The Domaine has owned half of the appellation since 2013.

Winemaker notes

Deep ruby red hue with an intense and complex nose characterised by red fruits, toast and subtle roasted notes. The palate is rich and round with a firm structure and direct tannins. This remarkably powerful wine offers a silky mouthfeel and exceptional length.

2013

Burghound 91-94♥: A classic Gevrey nose displays an abundance of that sauvage character that adds breadth to the intensely earthy plum, spice and black currant scents. The exceptionally rich, powerful and imposingly concentrated middle weight plus flavors possess plenty of minerality that adds a sense of lift to the palate coating finish where the supporting tannins are notably firm. Even so, in much the same fashion as the Combe aux Moines this is a bit less youthfully austere than it usually is. Good stuff and worth considering.

Wine Advocate 91: Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers is darker in color than its peers and the aromatics are more broody: blackberry and dark plum, a little sullen in the context of the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, tightly coiled and like the aromatics, it feels a little contained and takes time to unfurl, though it does with several minutes in the glass. I would wait another 3-4 years or at least give this a couple of hours decanting -- this is certainly on of the better Cazetiers in this vintage.

James Suckling 92: This has some concentration and ripeness with blueberry and blackberry. Full to medium body, firm tannins and a long finish. Extremely attractive. Drink or hold.

Vinous 91+: Bright dark red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, smoked meat, rose petal and vanillin oak, plus a complicating note of leather. Suave and sweet on entry, then rather tightly coiled in the middle, conveying a strong impression of energy to its flavors of red fruits, spices, minerals and coffee. Comes across as drier than the Lavaux, and more medicinal. With a firmly tannic finish, this wine needs time in bottle to expand and loosen up.

2018

Burghound 90-93♥: This is very Gevrey in character with plenty of sauvage, freshly turned earth, forest floor and brooding wild dark berry and cassis scents. There is fine richness to the concentrated, powerful and full-bodied flavors that exhibit a subtle minerality on the moderately austere and impressively long and slightly grippy finale.

Wine Advocate 92-94: Mingling aromas of sweet wild berries with rich bass notes of forest floor, spice and grilled squab, the 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers is medium to full-bodied, broad and concentrated, with rich structuring tannins, comparatively low acidity and a long, sapid finish.

James Suckling 94: Tantalizing aromas of ripe strawberries, violets and cherries with some light bark. Medium-to full-bodied with firm, very silky tannins that are extremely polished and fine. Love the balance and focus to this. Try after 2022.

2019

Burghound 92-94♥: In contrast to the prior wines, here the nose is quite firmly reduced. More interesting are the superbly concentrated and gorgeously textured big-bodied, powerful and muscular flavors that flash a mix of minerality and salinity on the wonderfully complex and highly persistent finish where the only nit is a slight warmth. This is potentially outstanding and a wine that should age effortlessly.

Wine Advocate 93-95: Faiveley's 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers is very promising indeed, mingling aromas of smoky berry fruit and plums with hints of rose hip, orange peel, musk and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's concentrated and vibrant, with velvety tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish.

Vinous 93: The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru has a veneer of new oak on the nose plus some reduction, but there seems to be plenty of red fruit here—it’s just suppressed under that reductive haze at the moment. The palate is clean and fresh with fine tannins, a silver bead of acidity and touches of allspice and black pepper that furnish a relatively complex and engaging finish. Persistent. This is a finely-crafted Les Cazetiers.

Decanter 92: Faiveley has a large holding in Cazetiers at 4.06ha and the oldest vines were planted in the 1950s. The fruit for this bottling is completely destemmed and yet there is a slightly exotic aroma here, plus a robust, dark fruit character. The tannins are supple and well-managed, recalling Morey more than Gevrey.

2020

Burghound 91-94♥: Once again there is a lovely sense of freshness to the more restrained, even brooding, dark berry fruit nose that is cut with hints of the sauvage and just turned earth. The dense, powerful and gorgeously textured larger-scaled flavors brim with both dry extract and minerality before concluding in a complex, balanced and sneaky long finale. Excellent potential here.

Wine Advocate 93-95: The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers is brilliant, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, dark chocolate, spices and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's elegantly muscular, with a deep and multidimensional core and a long, expansive finish. It's worth a special effort to seek out.