Duroché has two cuvées of Lavaut; Pierre takes enough of the oldest vines (planted in 1923) to cull out a single barrel for a 'Vieilles Vignes' cuvée. If you can't find that, this wine will do nicely with its dark blackberry fruit and floral notes, silky texture, refreshingly crisp freshness, and tannic grip. This delicious wine should show well shortly after release but can undoubtedly be cellared for a decade or more if you can avoid drinking it now. (CC)

The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques exhibits aromas of dark berries, licorice, smoked squab and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, open and expressive palate framed by powdery tannins. This was the one cuvée that wasn't entirely put together when I tasted it. Pierre Duroché has produced another superlative set of wines in 2022. While yields are down after hail struck the Combe Lavaux and the Brochon side of Gevrey-Chambertin, quality is undimmed, the vintage lending itself to the domaine's understated, delicate style. As I've written before, Duroché has been experimenting with "tressage,"—rolling vines' canopies instead of trimming them—and to that end, he's pragmatically raising stakes and trellising wires, so he has the option to hedge in a rainy, disease-prone vintage (such as 2021!) but can also opt not to in sunny, warm years. In the cellar, new oak continues to make a minimal contribution, but the historic emphasis on Tonnellerie Cadus has diminished to avoid any one cooper defining the domaine style. Vinifications continue to be rather delicate, with comparatively short macerations and little in the way of pigéage. Fully renovated winery facilities, complete with a battery of made-to-measure stainless steel tanks, facilitate precision vinification. (WK)

The 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a pretty nose with wonderfully transparent wild strawberry and raspberry aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit. There’s fine backbone here, taut, growing a tad spicy towards the finish. It needs a little more grip and depth (like the Etelois). (NM)