Jean-Marie Fourrier

The thirtieth of October 2008. A milestone in my wine education, because the day was bookended by visits to and tastings with Fourrier and Grivot. My Burgundy obsession is shamefully recent, but even I have verticals of Fourrier wines going back to 2001, three years after Jean-Marie, whose evil twin is Rafa Benitez, began making the great strategic decisions that have taken him close to the top of the league in Burgundy. Claiming as ever that all the work is done in the vineyard, he particularly highlighted the month of May, when, particularly when there is damaging mildew present, you have to be in the vineyards all day, every day. Yet in May there is a Bank Holiday every week. You have to work all the time or you pay the price at harvest. Though not a motor mouth - far from it - Fourrier has firm views on all things vinous. He`s going for even better and longer corks, he wanted snow this winter and 2 weeks at -10 degrees to kill off those annoying mildew spores. And as a final indication of attention to detail we had the best glasses of the week for this tasting. (CW 20/02/09)