Regis Forey: A Connossieur's Burgundy

9/29/2007 -

Regis Forey has holdings in some of the best vineyards in Burgundy but is often overlooked in lieu of other producers. The style is very austere and needs many years to come around but is well worth the wait. From Clos Vougeot to Nuits St. Georges "Les St. Georges" and the vaunted Vosne Romanee "Les Gaudichots", there is something for every burg geek here. I adore these wines as they are right up my alley -great vineyards, not done in a popular style, ageworthy and well priced for the quality. The reason they are such long keepers is because of a very long cuvaisons (22-26 days!) and a pre-fermentation maceration which will always ensure a long life. Regis also does pigeage three times a day! They are racked once during elevage and then spend 16-20 months in oak barrels which are 20-50% new oak depending on the vintage and vineyard. They are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Regis Forey is married to Chantal Jacob of Domaine Lucien Jacob which is another lovely under-the radar domaine (another e-mail down the road). Regis great-grandfather founded the estate in 1840. He is also responsible for the vines and winemaking at Cheateau de Vosne-Romanee for Les Gaudichots and La Romanee . . . .but the elevage for these is at Bouchard Pere et Fils. Follow that? The Gaudichots is perhaps his most famous and alluring bottling as the vines rub up against some vineyard called "La Tache." We heard it is supposed to be good. Rumor is also that these vines were once part of this La Tache vineyard. Forey's family has owned this parcel of Gaudichots for well over a century. The whole of Gaudichots is only 2.5 acres so that is not much wine and Forey only makes around 150 bottles of the stuff.

Of note is his Vosne-Romanee village which exhibits classic Vosne characteristics with lovely complexity as it is sourced from 15 different plots. This wine is fantastic and an exceptional value. His Nuits St Georges is also phenomenal in 2005 and both of these wines represent killer values when it comes to village wines in 2005.