Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet, Gevrey-Chambertin, Symphonie 2021 - 75cl
Most great Burgundy domaines are handed down through the generations. Alain Burguet built his from nothing. His father was a vineyard labourer, and Alain bought his first parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin in 1974, making wine under his own name through sheer graft and stubbornly low yields. His sons Jean-Luc and Eric took the reins in 2011, and the domaine still farms with that same intensity.
Symphonie is their village Gevrey, not a single vineyard but a blend drawn across the appellation, and a lovely way into the house style. 2021 was a cooler, classical year in Burgundy, the kind that gives fresher, more perfumed wines after a run of hot vintages. Frost cut the crop, which only added concentration to what made it through.
Expect dark cherry and plum on the nose, with spice and a touch of leather building underneath, all carried by bright acidity and more aromatic lift than you'd usually get from a village wine. It's understated, but the depth is genuine. Drink it over the next five or six years. Approachable now, it will reward a little patience through to around 2031.
How to Serve
16C in a Burgundy bowl. Half an hour in a decanter suits the 2021; it opens nicely with air, and the extra room lets that perfume show.
Where to Drink It
- Noble Rot, Soho: Gevrey handled by people who know it well.
- The Wolseley: a grand brasserie room for a considered bottle over a long dinner.
- Brat, Shoreditch: the wood fire and the wine's freshness are a natural fit.
Food Pairings
Coq au vin is the obvious, comforting call. Or a herb-roast chicken with plenty of tarragon, a glass poured while you carve.
