Domaine Jean Grivot

What a joyful, generous wine - one of Etienne's more modest cuvées but golly is it an impressive piece of work! From 50 year old Gamay vines in Flagey-Échezeaux, this delivers crunchy red fruit to the tip of the tongue and more complex, riper fruit aromas on the mid-palate.

Etienne Grivot and his wife Marielle (Patrick Bize's sister) took over from his father Jean in 1990, making him the fifth generation of Grivots to make wine in Vosne-Romanée. In the 1930s it was one of the first domaines to bottle and sell the wines themselves.

A beautiful mid-purple colour with a gracefully elegant nose. This is amazingly silky in the mouth, with generous red fruit and well-integrated acidity. This absolutely confirms Etienne’s optimism for the vintage.

The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges Les Lavieres comes from two parcels in the lieu-dit “Bas Combes”. It has a fragrant bouquet: the fruit a tinge blacker than the Vosne-Romanee with blackcurrant joining the chorus line. The oak is neatly integrated but present.

The palate is taut and fresh on the entry. It does not possess great depth like many a Lavieres, but it displays a vibrant citric finish that lends vigor and freshness. This will probably be earlier drinking than other 2012 from Grivot.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Dec 2013

Lovely purple, without being too concentrated, there are some dark fruit flavours on the nose of this fine, classical wine, with super purity, incredible class, length and a very pure finish.

Étienne Grivot reports better yields in 2014, about halfway between the miserable crops of the previous four vintages and what would count as a very good year. The grapes are de-stemmed but preserved fully intact using the newest model of destemmer. They were totally healthy in 2014 and Mathilde Grivot describes the wines as being accessible, fresh, yet still complex. We would add that they are – yet again – amongst the finest of the whole Côte.

Mid-purple-red, with a little oak on the nose, this has soft graceful fruit. It is easy-going with a fine, leavening touch of acidity behind to keep it fresh. This works very well.

Étienne Grivot reports better yields in 2014, about halfway between the miserable crops of the previous four vintages and what would count as a very good year. The grapes are de-stemmed but preserved fully intact using the newest model of destemmer. They were totally healthy in 2014 and Mathilde Grivot describes the wines as being accessible, fresh, yet still complex. We would add that they are – yet again – amongst the finest of the whole Côte.

Vibrant purple in the glass with a little noble reduction, then incredibly expressive red fruit. It shows lively raspberry, linear but intense, and hillside minerals. Very persistent. Vibrant is the word.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

A late cycle all the way though, in 2013 Etienne started picking from 5th October. After conferring with his aunt Jacqueline Jayer, he noted that 2013 shares the same harvest dates as 1978 and also that in both vintages there were very few pips in the grapes and they were fully ripe. Low sugar levels, ripe skins and good acidity should lead to fine wines with excellent keeping qualities.

A fine, bright mid-purple, the nose is currently discreet, but with an amazing mouthful of fruit on the palate. There is a firm structure behind but easily enough fruit to cope with it, accompanied by an attractively crunchy finish. Give this some more time in barrel and it will be amazing. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

A late cycle all the way though, in 2013 Etienne started picking from 5th October. After conferring with his aunt Jacqueline Jayer, he noted that 2013 shares the same harvest dates as 1978 and also that in both vintages there were very few pips in the grapes and they were fully ripe. Low sugar levels, ripe skins and good acidity should lead to fine wines with excellent keeping qualities.

This cuvée has gained in intensity over the last few years as it can now be ploughed by horse. Mid-purple in colour, this delivers a fine-boned, hillside style of Vosne-Romanée which is “now attaining serenity”, according to Étienne. Lovely precise yet sensual finish.

Étienne Grivot reports better yields in 2014, about halfway between the miserable crops of the previous four vintages and what would count as a very good year. The grapes are de-stemmed but preserved fully intact using the newest model of destemmer. They were totally healthy in 2014 and Mathilde Grivot describes the wines as being accessible, fresh, yet still complex. We would add that they are – yet again – amongst the finest of the whole Côte.

With a similar, noble, purple colour to Les Roncières, this has vibrant, dark red fruit rather than plums on the nose. Les Pruliers has greater density than Les Roncières, displaying real depth of fruit. It has a lovely finish, easy and charming but also magisterial.

Étienne Grivot reports better yields in 2014, about halfway between the miserable crops of the previous four vintages and what would count as a very good year. The grapes are de-stemmed but preserved fully intact using the newest model of destemmer. They were totally healthy in 2014 and Mathilde Grivot describes the wines as being accessible, fresh, yet still complex. We would add that they are – yet again – amongst the finest of the whole Côte.

The ripe purple colour leads to one of the richest noses in the cellar: very fleshy, with plenty of exuberant fruit, but zesty too, with some blood orange notes. A very rich and absolutely gorgeous wine with an excellent finish.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Etienne Grivot describes his 2012s as having glamour on top of the sophistication of 2010. He notes also the generosity of fruit married to perfect acidity in 2012. It was no hardship tasting our way through his range. One minor added sophistication in the Grivot cellar is an amendment to his barrel regime – he now specifies an extra long chauffe to his barrels, though without going beyond his usual medium toast. High prices but fabulous quality.

From 40 year old vines. Very pretty and perfumed, this is on the sensual side but also with a perfect, piercing linear intensity. It has the weight and energy without losing the hillside purity of this site which lies above Echezeaux.
Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Wine Director

 

The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots was reductive when I tasted it from barrel. Still, the palate is very fresh and mineral-driven with great tension and a sense of weightlessness on the graphite finish that will ensure this will be a riveting premier cru once in bottle. You can feel that stoniness tingling on the finish long after the wine has departed! 
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Dec 2013

With a fine bouquet of sweet ripe fruit, this is much more sumptuous than a Grivot Vosne of an earlier generation. The finish is long and smooth; this is very impressive for a village wine.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)

This breathtaking wine shows an extraordinary essence of pure red fruit on the nose. There is a real sense of vitality which continues with generosity and persistence on the palate; it is very fine indeed.

Burgundy 2009 Best Buys - Village Red Wines
 Oh my! Jean Grivot is on great form this year, as ever. His wines have taken on an ethereal quality in 2009 and it really shows in the ever-popular village Vosne-Romanee. Silk, perfume, generous glossy redcurrant and raspberry fruit make this a choice for the vintage. Haunting!
(Stuart Rae, Cellar Plan Account Manager)

A gently restrained, elegant bouquet with attractive black fruit notes. This Vosne-Romanée from Jean Grivot is a wine of pure class more than obvious seduction, with an impressively long finish.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

Deep crimson inn colour and layer upon layer of complex flavours and nuances; ripe black fruits with hints of new oak bound together by svelte tannins and a backbone of crisp acidity. An outstanding effort from this top Vosne domaine. Drinking from 2005.

Glowing a brilliant ripe purple, the Richebourg has a very backward nose at first, which develops into an explosion of sumptuous, healthy fruit. It is far from over ripe, yet it gives everything. There is huge weight here, one or two black notes climbing in with the red and it is just simply an amazing wine whose great potential has scarcely yet developed. Much more backward than the Echezeaux at this stage at least, it is clearly a great wine in the making.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director This domaine continues to deliver exceptionally high quality wines and is surely now one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Vosne-Romanée. The harvest began on 31st August in 2011 and that is the earliest ever at this domaine. Etienne Grivot was happy to pick at 12 to 12.5%, seeing no value in waiting and losing acidity. The wines have a dramatic tension to them in youth and will certainly age exceptionally well.

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Boasting a dense purple colour, there is a huge weight of fruit on the nose here, but it doesn’t lose any of the subtlety of which Echezeaux should show. Quite strict at the front of the palate, it opens out in a superb red fruit finish and has a quite unbelievable aftertaste.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Domaine Jean Grivot continues to deliver exceptionally high quality wines and is surely now one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Vosne- Romanée. The harvest began on 31st August in 2011 and that is the earliest ever at this domaine. Etienne Grivot was happy to pick at 12 to 12.5%, seeing no value in waiting and losing acidity. The wines have a dramatic tension to them in youth and will certainly age exceptionally well.

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The Clos de Vougeot has a hugely seductive nose, with really exciting vibrant fruits and a lovely coating of oak to complete the picture of velvet. Robust, exciting and very long it is a wine of extremely high potential.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director This domaine continues to deliver exceptionally high quality wines and is surely now one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Vosne-Romanée. The harvest began on 31st August in 2011 and that is the earliest ever at this domaine. Etienne Grivot was happy to pick at 12 to 12.5%, seeing no value in waiting and losing acidity. The wines have a dramatic tension to them in youth and will certainly age exceptionally well.

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Beautiful bright purple in colour and with a really attractive nose of oak and seamlessly integrated fruit, this wine has a lovely middle ground of dark fruit. A superb village wine.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

A wild floral nose that reminds Etienne of how the hillside smells in mid summer in this vineyard. There is a huge amount of detail here, with myrtle and box notes. Very intense with a steely core and a very persistent aftertaste.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

A lovely mid purple colour, this wine is very dense with a classy nose of redcurrant and some richer notes, but all held together by a lacy quality which keeps one sniffing for more. There is notable latent power, despite the immediate charm and elegance, and I have no doubt that this will be a great wine in the years to come.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

Magically perfumed with pronounced blackcurrant fruit, quite sensual behind. Absolutely even fruit right across the palate but it is the finish which is really special.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

Etienne has a serious holding of almost 2ha here with three parcels of vines within the Clos. More power and grip than the Echézeaux. Drink from 2015.