Domaine Dugat-Py Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle 2019 750ml

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle confirms its showing from barrel in bottle. Unwinding to reveal notions of cherries, raspberries, peonies, licorice and sweet spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and immensely concentrated, with a seamless, complete profile, impressively racy acids and a long, saline finish. It sets a new standard for this cuvée chez Dugat-Py.

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle 1er Cru was picked on the first day of harvest, along with the Charmes-Chambertin and Mazoyères. Containing 50% whole bunch, it is very perfumed on the nose, the most floral of Dugat-Py’s Premier Crus, but thankfully the gushing violet and peony aromas do not obscure the fruit expression. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, more understated than I anticipated after the aromatics. This ends up a streamlined Petite Chapelle of wonderful delineation and salinity (though maybe the Champeaux has a little more complexity overall at this early juncture). Not so Petite!

Full ruby-red. Vibrant aromas and flavors of blackberry, violet, licorice pastille, bitter chocolate and wild mint. Boasts compelling sweetness and texture, not to mention inner-mouth tension. Finishes with surprisingly sweet tannins and distinct minerality. Dugat noted that this wine started off hard but that the racking brought much more refinement.