The very, very old vines in the Roty family’s plot of Fontenys have turned out a beautiful wine in 2020. There is a lot of clay in the soil here, which probably helped the vines navigate the vicissitudes of this drought vintage. The wine delivers a superb aromatic constellation of cassis, plums, black cherries, grilled meats, dark soil tones, smoke, cedar and a topnote of raw cocoa. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with a rock solid core, excellent transparency and grip, firm, ripe tannins and a long, complex and very promising finish. In my experience, the Rotys’ Fontenys always takes its time blossoming in the cellar and the 2020 will be no exception, but once it is ready to drink, it is going to be a stellar wine.

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Fontenys wafts from the glass with aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate, sweet spices, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's vibrant and seamless, with excellent concentration, ripe tannins and bright acids. Readers will have a fun time comparing the 2018, 2019 and 2020 in a decade's time.- WK

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys ler Cru is perfumed and floral, with plenty of black cherries, cassis fruit infused by violet and iris flower scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, beautifully balanced, silky smooth on the finish with great persistency. Superb. By Neal Martin on November 2022