Arnaud Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru La Perrière 2023

Arnaud Mortet La Perrière comes from two stony parcels directly beneath the Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin, on some of the oldest bedrock in the village.

La Perrière lies on the upper slope at the northern edge of Gevrey-Chambertin, immediately under Mazis-Chambertin, and its name records the quarrying that once went on here. The rock is among the oldest in the commune and sits close to the surface, so the soils are thin and stony and the wines have a firm, mineral cast. The cru is small and much divided between owners, which is why bottlings are scarce; Bibendum last had access through Benjamin Leroux, whose lease ended with the 2017 vintage, so its return to the list through Arnaud Mortet is welcome. Mortet works 0.35 hectares across two parcels directly below the Grand Cru. The wine was crafted with 70 per cent whole bunches, in keeping with the lifted, less extracted style Arnaud has developed since taking over the cellar.

Give it five or six years and expect it to hold for twenty. Serve at 16-18°C with roast beef, game birds or a mature hard cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Red Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Firm, Mineral-driven
Grape Varietal: Pinot Noir
Tastes Like: Comparable to a fine Pinot Noir, but firmer, stonier and more savoury than a fruit-driven New World example
Alcohol Percentage: 13%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru AOC
Region: Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Terroir: Thin soil over hard rock on the steep slope above the village, on the site of old stone quarries
Aging: Raised in barrel with restrained use of new oak
Serving Temperature: 15–16℃ – Decant and serve at cellar temperature

Arnaud Mortet works in Gevrey-Chambertin, the largest and most celebrated red wine commune of the Côte de Nuits, farming the family vineyards his father established a reputation with. The wines are built on low yields, meticulous work in the vineyard and a restrained hand in the cellar.

La Perrière is a premier cru on the steep slope directly above the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, close to the ruins of the old château. The name refers to the stone quarries once worked here, and the vineyard’s thin soil over hard rock gives wines with a firm, mineral edge and noticeably more tension than the richer crus on the Chambertin side of the commune.

Meat: Perfect with roast beef, braised short rib or rack of lamb
Game: Excellent with venison, hare, pheasant or partridge
Poultry: Pairs beautifully with roast duck, pigeon or coq au vin
Cheese: Ideal with Ami du Chambertin and Burgundian washed rinds

Ami du Chambertin: The washed rind of Gevrey itself, made expressly for these wines
Époisses: Pungent and rich, matching the wine’s intensity
Cîteaux: A Burgundian abbey cheese, supple and savoury
Comté: Nutty and firm, softening the wine’s tannin

Poulet Gaston Gérard (Dijon Chicken with Mustard and Comté)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 1 free-range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 300ml thick cream
• 150g Comté, grated
• 150ml dry white wine
• 2 French shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 40g butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Season the chicken and brown it in the butter and oil in an ovenproof pan until deep golden on all sides.
2. Remove the chicken, lower the heat and soften the shallots in the same pan.
3. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half, scraping up the caught juices.
4. Whisk the mustard and cream together with the paprika and plenty of pepper, then stir into the pan.
5. Return the chicken, spooning the sauce over each piece.
6. Scatter over two thirds of the grated Comté.
7. Bake at 200℃ for 25 minutes, then add the remaining cheese and grill briefly until blistered and golden.
8. Rest for five minutes and serve straight from the pan.

Created in Dijon in the 1930s and named after the city’s mayor, this is the dish of the northern Côte d’Or. Gevrey-Chambertin has the depth to hold its own against mustard and melted Comté, while its firm structure and dark fruit keep the richness of the cream in check.