The 2009 Pierre de Crillon Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fonteny is a recent ex-cellar release that has come directly from the domaine in pristine condition, making it an especially compelling mature Burgundy buy. A friend in France first put Pierre de Crillon on our radar as a source for textbook, traditionally styled Burgundy at very sensible pricing, and these wines have continued to impress us as some of the better ex-cellar values we see. Fonteny is one of Gevrey-Chambertin’s great Premier Crus, sitting just below the Grand Cru slope near Ruchottes-Chambertin on stony limestone soils that naturally give the wine lift, perfume and mineral definition. The 2009 vintage brought greater ripeness and generosity, and after more than 15 years of slow aging in the domaine cellar, the wine now shows beautifully mature red fruit, raspberry, spice, earth, and a silky texture, while still retaining freshness and site character. Most importantly, these bottles remained undisturbed at the estate until this recent release, giving them provenance that is increasingly difficult to find in mature Burgundy. For anyone looking for serious Premier Cru Gevrey with age, character and impeccable ex-cellar condition, this is an excellent buy and a rare opportunity!