2016 Red Burgundy

Olivier replanted the previous, inferior vines with cuttings of Pinot Fin taken from the Clos des Epeneaux 20 years ago. Pale ruby in colour, this is an elegant, delicate expression of Pinot Noir, full of red berry fruit and silky tannins. The limestone adds complexity in the form of fine, chalky tannins. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been established in the Mâconnais village of La Roche Vineuse since 1987. Over the years they have bought the domaine which they originally rented, built a new cuverie, planted new vineyards locally and spread out into further appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Moulin-à-Vent. Theirs has been one of the great success stories of the modern Mâconnais. They expect to be joined shortly by sons Théo and Paul. Having made his first wines in 1987, this year represents Olivier’s 30th vintage in La Roche Vineuse. It is fair to say that in this time he has contributed much to raising standards in the Mâconnais. Proof of his great skill as a winemaker came in the form of a bottle of 1990 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, a highlight of a lunch at Berry Bros. & Rudd in July to mark Jasper Morris’s retirement.

Maxime Rion now makes most of the decisions at this exemplary estate, although he can call on his father Patrice – approaching his 40th vintage as a winemaker – for guidance. The Rions are a talented, forward-thinking family who were among the first in Burgundy to bottle some of their wines under screwcap, and whose eco-friendly tractor shed boasts solar panels and a rainwater purification system.

This is a fresh, fruit-driven Burgundy from vineyards just above Nuits-St Georges. It is raised exclusively in used oak, which rounds the tannins and accentuates the wild, spicy character redolent of Nuits. Drink now to 2021.

In Marsannay, it is not St Vincent but St Urbain who holds sway as the patron saint of vignerons. His eponymous cuvée is a blend of various village sites and older vines. There was no new oak in 2016, and 25 percent whole-bunch. It was aged in larger 500-litre barrels, then spent three months in concrete, which Laurent prefers to stainless steel, which has too cold a touch, he says. The wine has a deep, viscous nose, almost like marmite, and a positive, rich, earthy palate. This makes it sound rustic; it’s not, just characterful Pinot Noir from deep, cool soils. Drink 2019-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The Fourniers have been making wine in Marsannay since at least the 17th century, though the domaine as currently constituted was established in the 1960s by Jean Fournier. His son Laurent now runs the estate, along with being in charge of the project to establish Premiers Crus in Marsannay. The domaine is now certified organic, through AB and Ecocert. They make more than 20 different cuvées, the majority from Marsannay. Laurent’s efforts for the creation of a Premier Cru category in Marsannay seem to have stalled for the moment – perhaps a good thing, as he needed all his energy to combat the mildew this year. Laurent is another vigneron who had to compromise his organic status to save the crop, and he ended up with 28hl/ha across the domaine. The results are compelling though: these are wines without compromise, amplifying the paradoxes of Marsannay, with its cool limestone, extreme terroirs and burly tannins. Running between those is the fruit of some wonderful old vineyards, of which Laurent is the proud custodian.

The frost damage of 2016 has necessitated a different blend this year, but the result is exciting nonetheless. The 2016 cuvée includes some vineyards Thibault is now looking after in Chambolle, adding a touch of class to the mix, and giving a wine with pretty red fruit, a floral lift and surprising depth. This is not a wine of great body, but there is good length and a certain elegance. Drink 2018-2025.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

In 2001 Thibault took over an old family property in Nuits-St Georges, reclaiming the vines which had been contracted out to various share-croppers. The family jewels ( his branch) consist of Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot and Nuits-St Georges Les St Georges, to which he has added further vineyards and a few cuvées made from purchased grapes. The vineyards are certified organic and farmed biodynamically, with horses used to plough the vineyards where possible. The oak regime is not to exceed 50 percent new barrels but also not to use any barrels more than three years old. Thibault has also developed several single-vineyard bottlings of Moulin-à-Vent (Beaujolais). In summer 2017 Thibault opened a new, environmentally friendly cuverie which harnesses geothermal and solar energy and recycles rainwater. Thibault Liger-Belair is a busy man. He has his fascinating project in Moulin-à- Vent (find his Cru Beaujolais wines on page 55) as well as overseeing the forestry and manufacture of the barrels for all his wines, and experimenting with very light toasting. Overall, he is quietly satisfied with this year’s results. He continues to work with varying levels of whole bunches and is trialling a refinement which involves removing the thick, central stalk of bunches, to leave mini-bunches. He was especially badly hit by frost in the Hautes Côtes and Chambolle but elsewhere this is a relatively happy cellar.

This is a new cuvée for David, albeit from vines his family has owned for some time. The soil here is a touch deeper than in the neighbouring Premiers Crus, contributing extra weight to the palate without undermining the bright, red-fruit and floral aromatics that make David’s 2016s so enticing.

As ever, this is a Bourgogne which punches significantly above its weight. A good dollop of Savigny, Santenay, Beaune, Monthélie and St Romain make their way into the blend, not as off-cuts, but because Ben sees this as his vinous business card. Raised in large foudres, this is as gorgeous as ever, with an incredible purity of juicy, red berry fruit. The quintessence of Burgundian Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Having created a name for himself as régisseur (general manager) of Comte Armand in Pommard from 1999 until 2013, Benjamin Leroux established a small négociant business based in Beaune in 2007. The emphasis is on Côte de Beaune whites and Côte de Nuits reds. The company also owns a small holding of Bâtard-Montrachet and since 2014 some vineyards in Meursault. In a short space of time Benjamin Leroux’s wines have built an impressive reputation. Ben is a big fan of his 2016s, praising the sizzling tension of the whites and the beautiful quality of the Pinot fruit, which allowed him to use more whole bunches than in 2015. In early stages of élevage he drew comparisons to 2010, and feels these are wines which will surprise people and gain complexity with time. Thanks to his strong relationships with suppliers, Ben was able to maintain production at around 2015 levels despite the frost, although in general he has less Village and Grand Cru wine and more at the Premier Cru level. For reasons of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this catalogue. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.

This is a blend of Les Bras and Les Saunières, both of which touch Premiers Crus. The former is high on the steep, south-facing slope, while the latter is lower down on heavier soil, facing east. The combination yields a wine with juicy, red-berry fruit, sweet, crunchy tannins and just a lick of spice to round out the finish. Drink 2020-2025.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

In January 2002 Maison Camille Giroud was bought by an American consortium led by banker Joe Wender and winery-owner Ann Colgin, and a new chapter began. David Croix was installed as the winemaker/ technical director and tasked with a major revamping of the winemaking facilities and especially replacement and renewal of the old barrels to make wines in a much purer, more modern style. The company also owns 1.2 hectares of vineyards in and around Beaune. The 2016 vintage was a collaborative effort between the outgoing David Croix and his replacement, Carel Voorhuis, formerly of Domaine d’Ardhuy. The transition is a smooth one, with Carel’s gentle touch following on seamlessly from David’s elegant style. Carel described the 2016 vintage as lighter than 2015, with more elegance and better balance. It is clear he has a preference for 2016, highlighting the expressive, aromatic characteristics of the wines and calling them “ethereal”. He explained that it was important to avoid over-ripeness by picking in good time, and emphasised the value of gentle extraction to prevent obtaining hard tannins.

This is from the Pâquier des Chênes vineyard, towards Gevrey, planted with 40-year-old vines. Everything was de-stalked as the stems weren’t ripe enough on the lower land. It has very juicy fruit, enhanced by 20 percent from Morey Villages which was too small to vinify separately. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Jérôme Castagnier is fifth generation, though passage through the female line and sons-in-law has changed the family name: the originator Jules Séguin was succeeded by Albert Rameau then Gilbert Vadey, a military man, who developed the business, working closely with Alexis Lichine. Guy Castagnier, born in Algeria, married Mademoiselle Vadey and began working at the domaine in 1975. Since 2004 the wines have been bottled as Domaine Castagnier. Jérôme, the sole son, did not originally intend to join the family business, becoming instead a professional trumpeter in the Republican Guard. In 2004 he left Paris and the army and came back to Morey-St Denis. Across his several appellations, Jérôme Castagnier is very fortunate, as all his vines are in single plots in each vineyard. As at other addresses, his Chambolle was worst hit by the frost (down 70 percent), then his Clos Vougeot (50 percent), but his Morey vines and other Grands Crus were only down by 10 to 15 percent. He didn’t have any problem with the mildew, possibly due to the homogeneity of his vineyards. Jérôme loves the style of his 2016s and considers it a better vintage for him than 2015, itself something of a turning point for him and the domaine. There is a very good feel about this enthusiastic and hard-working vigneron, and he is still refining his style.

The heart of this cuvée is a Volnay Bourgogne lieu-dit, Les Longbois, and various parcels around Puligny. The nose is deliciously expressive, with lots of raspberry and strawberry fruit; only the slightly chew y tannins indicate that this is not a village wine. But that is not a criticism; well-made Bourgogne is a great litmus test for a domaine ’s abilities, and this receives the same amount of care as every other wine in the De Montille portfolio. Drink 2018-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Domaine de Montille was developed by Hubert de Montille (1930-2014), a prominent Dijon lawyer, who inherited 2.5 hectares of vineyards in Volnay in 1947. Over the years he acquired further parcels in Volnay, Pommard and Puligny-Montrachet Les Caillerets. Today the business is run by his son Étienne who has extended the domaine by purchases of vineyards in Beaune, Corton and the Côte de Nuits, including some marvellous Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically and the red wines are increasingly vinified with whole bunches. Following the splendid successes here in 2015, this vintage provides a contrast in style, but with reasons to buy that are just as compelling. Volumes are down in certain appellations and winemaking has been tempered to release more of the vintage’s purity of fruit and definition of terroir. Use of whole bunches for the reds continues, but not by rote, with proportions being adjusted according to each cuvée’s requirements.

The harvest here was so small that Thibault told us that the whole crop was harvested before the casse-croûte at 9.30 in the morning. The fruit was all de-stemmed and underwent a long vinification. Attractive, pure and focused fruit is enhanced with 20 percent new oak. Usually Thibault is able to make 50 barrels, but this year there are only 10. Drink 2020-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

In 2001 Thibault took over an old family property in Nuits-St Georges, reclaiming the vines which had been contracted out to various share-croppers. The family jewels ( his branch) consist of Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot and Nuits-St Georges Les St Georges, to which he has added further vineyards and a few cuvées made from purchased grapes. The vineyards are certified organic and farmed biodynamically, with horses used to plough the vineyards where possible. The oak regime is not to exceed 50 percent new barrels but also not to use any barrels more than three years old. Thibault has also developed several single-vineyard bottlings of Moulin-à-Vent (Beaujolais). In summer 2017 Thibault opened a new, environmentally friendly cuverie which harnesses geothermal and solar energy and recycles rainwater. Thibault Liger-Belair is a busy man. He has his fascinating project in Moulin-à- Vent (find his Cru Beaujolais wines on page 55) as well as overseeing the forestry and manufacture of the barrels for all his wines, and experimenting with very light toasting. Overall, he is quietly satisfied with this year’s results. He continues to work with varying levels of whole bunches and is trialling a refinement which involves removing the thick, central stalk of bunches, to leave mini-bunches. He was especially badly hit by frost in the Hautes Côtes and Chambolle but elsewhere this is a relatively happy cellar.

One of the stars of this year’s tasting at Château de Puligny, this boasts an ethereal, floral nose (Fleurie-esque, Jacques suggests). Half the stems were retained in ’16, and there was notably little punching down, accounting for its exceptionally supple, feather-light body.

This is on very cool Comblanchien limestone, where the vines need Champagne rootstocks to prosper, but the site itself is still and warm. The vines are up to 65 years old, all adding up to something that is both dense and bright, with sharply-drawn fruit and some bristly tannin. There is a lovely, smoky, toasty intensity on the finish. Drink 2020-2028.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The Fourniers have been making wine in Marsannay since at least the 17th century, though the domaine as currently constituted was established in the 1960s by Jean Fournier. His son Laurent now runs the estate, along with being in charge of the project to establish Premiers Crus in Marsannay. The domaine is now certified organic, through AB and Ecocert. They make more than 20 different cuvées, the majority from Marsannay. Laurent’s efforts for the creation of a Premier Cru category in Marsannay seem to have stalled for the moment – perhaps a good thing, as he needed all his energy to combat the mildew this year. Laurent is another vigneron who had to compromise his organic status to save the crop, and he ended up with 28hl/ha across the domaine. The results are compelling though: these are wines without compromise, amplifying the paradoxes of Marsannay, with its cool limestone, extreme terroirs and burly tannins. Running between those is the fruit of some wonderful old vineyards, of which Laurent is the proud custodian.

If he can, Sébastien looks to locate village vineyards immediately beside Premiers Crus, and here his land is right under Les Roncerets, at the top of Les Échards. Only a barrel was made, but only a little more than two barrels appear in a good year. With lots of red cherry and violet perfume, the wine is glossy and silky on the palate, and definitely seductive. Drink 2020-2025.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

No relation to the many Magniens of the Côte de Nuits, young Sébastien comes instead from Meloisey in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune – a village whose wines were as well thought of as those of Volnay in the 14th century, and were served at the coronation of King Philip II Augustus in 1180. However, to be in the thick of things, Sébastien has transferred headquarters to revamped cellars in the middle of Meursault. He is equally adept at making red and white wines. Sitting (relatively) modestly on Sébastien’s shelf in his tasting area is a trophy: for the Jeunes Talents Côte de Beaune 2016. Sébastien’s star is certainly rising, and fully deserved. Everything here is precise and considered. His vineyards in Beaune, Puligny and St Romain were not frosted, but there are significant reductions elsewhere throughout his range. Much of Sébastien’s focus is in the vineyard, where he tries to capture the spirit of each of his wines. The difficulties of the spring aside, he is very happy with his results this year. He has also been paying particular attention to the toast levels of his barrels, with an even more discreet, integrated result.

Harvested at just 15hl/ha due to the frost, there is only one barrel. The vines here are located in the Morichots vineyard and are worked by Caroline. This wine comes under a different, négociant label because she has bought the vineyard owner’s share of the crop to supplement her own. There is lovely precision here, with gorgeous red fruit accompanying the spicy, earthy notes on the nose. Lovely and juicy. Drink 2019-2023. Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Caroline Lestimé took over from her father, Jean-Noël Gagnard (b. 1926) in 1989, since which time she has fine-tuned the holdings, increasing the number of white wine cuvées by separating out each different vineyard. She has also planted new sites in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune to complement her range of Chassagne-Montrachet (including nine white and two red Premiers Crus) and Grand Cru Bâtard-Montrachet. Chassagne was badly hit by the spring frosts, especially in the vineyards above the village and towards Puligny. Nevertheless, this is an impressive result for Caroline and she was in ebullient form, despite the relative emptiness of her cellar, perhaps after the fecund volumes of 2017, just harvested. There is an amplitude about her wines this year, which matches the freshness of the vintage very well. Sadly, there is no Masures this year due to frost.

This is on the higher part of Pommard at 300 metres, above Les Charmots, but south-facing. This is really quite mineral; there is black fruit and a hint of iron on the nose (a good thing). On the palate, it is complex, tight and deep. There is a really understated concentration here, and the finish is long and resolved.
Drink 2022-2028.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

No relation to the many Magniens of the Côte de Nuits, young Sébastien comes instead from Meloisey in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune – a village whose wines were as well thought of as those of Volnay in the 14th century, and were served at the coronation of King Philip II Augustus in 1180. However, to be in the thick of things, Sébastien has transferred headquarters to revamped cellars in the middle of Meursault. He is equally adept at making red and white wines. Sitting (relatively) modestly on Sébastien’s shelf in his tasting area is a trophy: for the Jeunes Talents Côte de Beaune 2016. Sébastien’s star is certainly rising, and fully deserved. Everything here is precise and considered. His vineyards in Beaune, Puligny and St Romain were not frosted, but there are significant reductions elsewhere throughout his range. Much of Sébastien’s focus is in the vineyard, where he tries to capture the spirit of each of his wines. The difficulties of the spring aside, he is very happy with his results this year. He has also been paying particular attention to the toast levels of his barrels, with an even more discreet, integrated result.

From the Clos des Roches Noires in the centre of this vineyard, there is an astonishing depth to the aromatics here, with hints of oriental spices alongside the classical Pinot fruit. The tannins are silky and refined; a classy wine with great distinction. Drink 2022-2030.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

In January 2002 Maison Camille Giroud was bought by an American consortium led by banker Joe Wender and winery-owner Ann Colgin, and a new chapter began. David Croix was installed as the winemaker/ technical director and tasked with a major revamping of the winemaking facilities and especially replacement and renewal of the old barrels to make wines in a much purer, more modern style. The company also owns 1.2 hectares of vineyards in and around Beaune. The 2016 vintage was a collaborative effort between the outgoing David Croix and his replacement, Carel Voorhuis, formerly of Domaine d’Ardhuy. The transition is a smooth one, with Carel’s gentle touch following on seamlessly from David’s elegant style. Carel described the 2016 vintage as lighter than 2015, with more elegance and better balance. It is clear he has a preference for 2016, highlighting the expressive, aromatic characteristics of the wines and calling them “ethereal”. He explained that it was important to avoid over-ripeness by picking in good time, and emphasised the value of gentle extraction to prevent obtaining hard tannins.

Eighty percent of the vines that make up this cuvée are 100 years old. The concentrated fruit they provide lends this wine a darker fruit profile, with notes of black cherry and dark chocolate, along with succulent, juicy tannins. Great pleasure now but will charm for several years. Drink 2019-2025. Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

This excellent domaine in Vosne-Romanée has flown under the radar – perhaps because Jean-Pierre Guyon spends so much of his time out in the vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 2006, certified from 2012. With his high-pedigree viticulture as a great starting point, Jean-Pierre can employ whole-bunch fermentation as the stalks are ripe, eschewing the use of sulphur at this stage, though some is added during élevage and at bottling to assure stability. Despite obvious frustration at the small volumes, Jean-Pierre Guyon is delighted with the quality of his 2016s. He describes it as a vintage of great Pinot Noir typicity, which will be greater than 2015, explaining that the wines' saline character will have you reaching for the next glass. As ever, the grapes here were picked a touch later than many estates to ensure the stems were fully ripe. He only bought six new barrels for the entire 2016 crop, so the proportion of new oak is reduced.