Faiveley Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux Saint Jacques

Jérome Flous - Technical Director of Domaine Faiveley is an ardent admirer of this wine: with good reason as it embodies a rare elegance, combining finesse and complexity. It is recognised as one of the top three Premiers Crus in Gevrey-Chambertin, alongside ‘Cazetiers’ and ‘Clos Saint-Jacques’. Acquired in 2013, this south-facing 1-hectare parcel is planted on a combination of fossiliferous rock and clay soil. This wine, more nuanced and subtle than the Cazetiers, seduces with its delicacy and refinement.

Winemaker notes

Rich aromas of small black fruits emerge evoking the generosity of a basket of fresh blackberries and blueberries. Powerful, warm, pleasant and concentrated on the palate, it offers a remarkable explosion of aromas. The tannins are creamy and the lingering finish evokes notes of leather.

2021

Burghound 90-92: A brooding nose of dark berry, sauvage and earth nuances is trimmed in moderate wood. The lilting but punchy middleweight flavors possess lovely detail and an underlying tension while offering good length on the youthfully austere and ever-so-mildly lean finish. I suspect that this will better flesh out if given a few years of cellaring.

Wine Advocate 91-93: The 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques reveals aromas of cherries, sweet berries, loamy soil and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, supple and lively, with melting tannins and a penetrating finish, it's a success.

James Suckling 94: I love the fine spicy notes and delicate red fruit aromas of this concentrated and very elegant Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru. Subtle celery note, both the root and stalk. Only medium-bodied, but with excellent structure and finesse, the finish long and subtle. Drink or hold.

2022

Burghound 91-93♥: Moderate wood again frames the fresh and unusually expressive nose of forest floor, the sauvage and various wild red berries. There is impressive concentration to the powerful and tautly muscular medium-bodied flavors that display excellent length on the very firm finale where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. This is already attractively complex and a wine that should age gracefully over the next 12 to 15 years.

Wine Advocate 92-94: The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques is another notable success this year, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, peonies, orange zest and sweet spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and perfumed, its satiny attack segueing into a sweet core of fruit, it concludes with a long, saline finish.

James Suckling 96-97: A breathtaking Gevrey 1er Cru with great black cherry fruit and earthy complexity wrapped around a dense and precise core of fine tannins that power the extremely long finish.

2023

Wine Advocate 92-94: The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques has turned out beautifully, offering up aromas of orange zest, vine smoke, cassis and cloves, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate that's pure and precise. It will offer a broad drinking window.