Alain Voegeli – cutting the mustard

Jean-Marie Fourrier’s neighbour is not in the limelight, as we there find one of the undiscovered delicacies of Gevrey-Chambertin.

The neighbor in no 5 is Alain Voegeli, who has a very small – yet old – estate producing only one wine, a village Gevrey-Chambertin.

Alain Voegeli has been running the estate for many years, having taken it over in 1982. He is now in his 60s.

Alain now owns the estate’s vineyards, which previously were the property of his late grandmother, Suzanne Servoz. According to Clive Coates, she was the widow of Etienne Grey, who was related to the Grey part of Grey-Poupon mustard in Dijon, one of the world’s leading mustard producers, and now owned by Kraft Heinz.

The only wine Alain Voegeli makes is a village Gevrey that comes from two plots. The larger parcel, Le Clos, is part of the Combe du Bas vineyard and is close to the centre of the village; it’s around 1.7 ha. The smaller, Le Billard, is just round the corner from Alain’s back garden and is, according to my information, around 0.65 ha.

The wine is classic and slightly old school: very pure, with good acidity and focus. It is slightly dark and polished style-wise, with forest raspberries and black cherries – griottes – as the main components of the palate.

It has fine intensity and is a wine for food. Definitely not a modern vin de soif; this is more serious. Classic Gevrey, yet the fruit somehow reminds me a bit of Comte de Vogüe, as it has a regal feel but nevertheless with the Gevrey imprint.

A very interesting wine in my view, and somewhat atypical with its pure, focused style.

Alain Voegeli Gevrey Chambetin 2017

The 2017 is intense with pure raspberry flavors – forest raspberries to be precise. Showing fine energy and rather darkish fruit, this is elegant for a village, and for a Gevrey. It has very good intensity and energy, and would play well with a pigeon dish or Poularde de Bresse.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (89p) – Tasted 06/08/2020 –

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Alain Voegeli Gevrey Chambetin 2018

The 2018 is more intense and powerful, yet quite refined for the vintage. As always, serve a bit chilled to improve the freshness, although the acidity seems adequate. There’s lovely mid-palate fruit with pure forest raspberries. It’s quite refined, with lovely depth. Again, food-wise it would work very well with pigeon in with a rich sauce.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (89p) – Tasted 06/08/2020 –

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In Denmark Alain Voegeli is represented by Rufus Vin Aps