Les Champeaux is a Gevrey-Chambertin premier cru on the upper slope north of the village, and it is one of two vineyards Olivier Bernstein owns outright. The 2019 is broad, open and ripe, with red and black fruit and a savoury, earthy side.
About This Wine
Bernstein's holding in Les Champeaux is just under half a hectare. The vineyard sits in the band of premiers crus north of Gevrey, alongside Lavaux Saint-Jacques and Les Cazetiers, where the slope is steeper and the soils thinner. In 2019 the wine came out fruit-driven and supple, broader than the more structured 2018. Jeb Dunnuck scored it 95 points and suggested drinking it over 10 to 15 years or more; Neal Martin thought it needed a few years to absorb its oak.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Wild strawberry and cranberry, with darker cherry, leafy herbs and a light tobacco note.
- Palate: Medium to full-bodied and smooth, with ripe, pliant tannins, red fruit and some clove and allspice.
- Finish: Clean and persistent, with a trace of white pepper.
Serving & Food
At its best from 2026 to the late 2030s. Serve slightly cool at 15 to 16°C in a tulip-shaped Burgundy glass, decanting 45 minutes ahead if young. It suits crispy roast pork belly, venison loin with juniper, or wild mushroom risotto.
How to Enjoy
Gevrey fans who want grand cru depth from a premier cru, and anyone building a mixed Burgundy cellar.
Product Details
Producer: Olivier Bernstein
Country: France
Region: Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy
Appellation: Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Champeaux
Vintage: 2019
Grape: Pinot Noir
Bottle size: 750mL
About the Maison
Before Burgundy there was Roussillon. In 2002 Bernstein bought a small estate at Tautavel, Mas de la Devèze, and built it up to around eight hectares, but with wine there selling for a few euros a litre the numbers were hard. After several vintages he turned back to the Côte d'Or and, at 40, founded his négociant house in Beaune in 2007.
For the first five vintages he owned no vines at all. That changed in 2012, when he bought parcels in Les Champeaux and in Mazis-Chambertin, giving the house a mix of owned and contracted fruit. Having his own rows to farm let him set the pruning, yields and picking dates himself, and he has said he thinks quality has climbed sharply since then.