Old vines are a fundamental requirement for each of the wines from Domaine Fourrier. Vines over 30 years old—always organically and respectfully cultivated—are one of the essential obligations that Jean-Marie Fourrier must always fulfill in all his productions. According to this vigneron, currently one of the most prominent in Burgundy, the plant will not be able to give its best until its root system is fully developed. The firmness of this premise is such that all clusters that have not reached this mandatory maturity are systematically sold, without any remorse. Only in this way, being a zealot for quality, can one of the best wines in Burgundy be produced, such as J.M Fourrier Cote de Nuits Village Le Preau.
However, the excellence of Jean-Marie Fourrier's wines is not only due to the raw material; it is also due to the unique and unrepeatable locations where his raw material grows. In the case of J.M Fourrier Cote de Nuits Village Le Preau, as its name suggests, one must travel to Le Préau, in the north of the Côte de Nuits, one of the most renowned lieux-dits. Its silt soils, with a reddish-brown color mixed with limestone stones, are one of the many places that deserve a separate chapter in the history of French wines. Right in the village of Brochon, next to Gevrey-Chambertin, lies this area where Jean-Marie works hard to ensure the fruit is of the highest possible quality. To achieve this, Jean-Marie practices ecological, fully respectful cultivation, where the use of chemicals and pesticides is minimized.
This approach in the vineyard, where he lives day and night, strongly contrasts with the “do nothing” philosophy that prevails in the second part of the winemaking process, during fermentation, where the indigenous yeasts will dictate the times and phases. In this phase, Jean-Marie can do little: choose the barrels (mostly used), destem the harvest, crush the berries, perform very gentle extractions… The rest is beyond his control. Like an impatient student, he waits for the results. If the work in the field has been done correctly, J.M Fourrier Cote de Nuits Village Le Preau will be perfect; if, on the other hand, something has gone wrong, the wine will reveal it immediately. J.M Fourrier Cote de Nuits Village Le Preau will complete its journey resting in French oak barrels, the same ones where it underwent alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, where it will remain for over a year.
Because sometimes things turn out better on their own; because sometimes it is better to simply trust and let go; because there are few reds like J.M Fourrier Cote de Nuits Village Le Preau.