Domaine Francois Buffet

From the well placed Gigotte and Famines vineyards, this is a fine, medium red-purple, brightly perfumed and very pretty. The wine has beautifully sensual fruit, heading towards the ethereal, with nice acidity, graceful red berries, alpine strawberry and good persistence. Drink 2020-2025.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

This family-run domaine, which dates back to 1692, is currently managed by Marc-Olivier, son of François, though still with help from his parents. The family had a very successful négociant business, under the name Ferdinand Buffet, until the 1930s when fortunes were lost in the great crash. Even so, there is an impressive range of Volnay (Taillepieds, Clos des Chênes, Champans, Carelles, Clos de la Rougeotte) and Pommard (Rugiens, Clos Micot, Poutures) vineyards. Marc-Olivier uses some whole bunches when he feels the vineyard is suitable, though not for young vines. The wines are matured in barrel over 22 months.

Yields were around 25 hl/ha for his village appellations, less for the Premiers Crus. Marc-Olivier Buffet has restricted whole-bunch fermentation to 30 percent for most cuvées, avoiding previously more extreme forays in certain vintages, but retains his approach of a very light hand on extraction so as to enhance the ethereal side of Pinot Noir. He enthuses about 2015 for the balance of ripe tannins and good acidity.

The wine from this monopole displays Buffet’s usual bright but pale colour along with a classy, balanced nose. This is very pure and stylish with a lovely backbone, yet all with Volnay red-fruit elegance.

This is the third year in a row that the domaine has suffered serious hail damage, which was especially bad in Marc-Olivier’s village, Volnay, and all the Pommards (Rugiens apart). Because of the hail, he used much less in the way of whole-bunch vinification, just 20 percent on Taillepieds and Rugiens, and none at all on his other wines. As ever, his gentle handling of extraction has resulted in very pale colours by modern standards, but this in no way affects the concentration of his wines. There are very good results here in 2014.

Pretty pink-red, with lovely elegant fruit on the nose and a really appealing mix of raspberry and strawberry. This is a Volnay drinker’s Volnay. Silky, rose petals and really very good finish.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Each time we have tasted Marc-Olivier Buffet’s 2013’s we have liked them more and more. His ‘softly softly’ approach to the vintage, with very little whole bunch fermentation and very light extraction has paid off. With skilled de-stemming he aimed for whole berries but not whole bunches in the vats.

Glowing purple with a heady delicious nose, this displays really intense fruit in the domaine’s usual elegant register: noble raspberries, a nice touch of oak and an exceptionally long sensual finish. There was very little hail here, fortunately.

This is the third year in a row that the domaine has suffered serious hail damage, which was especially bad in Marc-Olivier’s village, Volnay, and all the Pommards (Rugiens apart). Because of the hail, he used much less in the way of whole-bunch vinification, just 20 percent on Taillepieds and Rugiens, and none at all on his other wines. As ever, his gentle handling of extraction has resulted in very pale colours by modern standards, but this in no way affects the concentration of his wines. There are very good results here in 2014.

Glowing pale purple, with a heavenly hillside Volnay scent of vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit, this is really elegant, yet with a fine core of concentrated fruit. The grapes were healthy enough to allow a small percentage of whole bunches here.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Each time we have tasted Marc-Olivier Buffet’s 2013’s we have liked them more and more. His ‘softly softly’ approach to the vintage, with very little whole bunch fermentation and very light extraction has paid off. With skilled de-stemming he aimed for whole berries but not whole bunches in the vats.

Only one and a half barrels were made and this Volnay Taillepieds, 1er Cru has a good, bright colour and an energetic bouquet of rich red fruit, supported by new wood. This is notably weighty in 2012, even a touch austere, but the concentration is unquestionably there.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

We have bought wines from this domaine in previous vintages, but this is the first year that they are appearing in the Opening Offer. Marc-Olivier Buffet, son of François, is the man in charge. He has a superb range of Premiers Crus in Volnay and Pommard, and though he managed to make them all in 2012, volumes are minute: below 10 hl/ha. He did not use many stems in 2012 and such is the concentration of the wines that he will give them a longer barrel maturation than usual. Beautiful wines with great aromatics, and keen pricing to boot

Just two barrels were made from these vines which are over 100 years old. There’s a glowing pink-purple colour, which is pleasingly fragrant with a touch of stems. Superb, delicate little pieces of fruit weave across the palate. This is really well put together, with amazing finesse for Pommard, and all the power you could want. Excellent.

This is the third year in a row that the domaine has suffered serious hail damage, which was especially bad in Marc-Olivier’s village, Volnay, and all the Pommards (Rugiens apart). Because of the hail, he used much less in the way of whole-bunch vinification, just 20 percent on Taillepieds and Rugiens, and none at all on his other wines. As ever, his gentle handling of extraction has resulted in very pale colours by modern standards, but this in no way affects the concentration of his wines. There are very good results here in 2014.

Only one-and-a-half barrels were made in 2013, alas. It is a pretty pink-purple with lovely aromatics and some dark brambly fruit. There is a surprising wealth of fruit on the palate, yet it is quite complex with just a touch of oak in support. A powerful and impressive Pommard. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Each time we have tasted Marc-Olivier Buffet’s 2013’s we have liked them more and more. His ‘softly softly’ approach to the vintage, with very little whole bunch fermentation and very light extraction has paid off. With skilled de-stemming he aimed for whole berries but not whole bunches in the vats.

Domaine François Buffet is a family-run domaine, which dates back to 1692, and is currently managed by Marc-Olivier, son of François, though still with help from his parents. The family had a very successful négociant business, under the name Ferdinand Buffet, until the 1930s when fortunes were lost in the Great Crash. Even so, there is an impressive range of Volnay and Pommard vineyards.

This cuvée is 100 percent whole-bunch fermented. The bouquet is both lively and classy, very stylish. With a very long finish, this has an impressive weight of fruit, along with some definite tannins in its youth. This will develop well with significant bottle age. Drink 2016-2024.

This comes from 50-year-old vines, almost young by Buffet standards! It has a similar lively, but not dense, colour with an exquisitely perfumed, graceful, light, red-fruit bouquet. The whole-bunch component makes it even more ethereal. The wine has a heavenly middle ground, with very sensual raspberry, ripe cherry and a long finish. Drink 2022-2030.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Yields were around 25 hl/ha for his village appellations, less for the Premiers Crus. Marc-Olivier Buffet has restricted whole-bunch fermentation  to 30 percent for most cuvées, avoiding previously more extreme forays in certain vintages, but retains his approach of a very light hand on extraction so as to enhance the ethereal side of Pinot Noir. He enthuses about 2015 for the balance of ripe tannins and good acidity.

This is from vines which are over 100 years old, in Les Rugiens Haut. A vibrant mid-purple, there are all sorts of complexities on the nose, possibly even some ginger and lemongrass mixed in with the dense red fruit. However it is entirely pure in the mouth, with amazing density and superb minerality – very long and lovely. Drink 2025-2040.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Yields were around 25 hl/ha for his village appellations, less for the Premiers Crus. Marc-Olivier Buffet has restricted whole-bunch fermentation  to 30 percent for most cuvées, avoiding previously more extreme forays in certain vintages, but retains his approach of a very light hand on extraction so as to enhance the ethereal side of Pinot Noir. He enthuses about 2015 for the balance of ripe tannins and good acidity.