2016 Red Burgundy

This comes from one 60-year-old parcel in Morey-St Denis, with two-thirds Pinot Noir, one-third Gamay, co-planted. A very correct, frank and bright wine, it has a lovely crunchy and tasty palate, with just a hint of cassis. The pleasure of simple things. Drink 2018-2021.
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.

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.

An extraordinary Bourgogne Rouge, this is made only from vines planted in 1947 on oolitic limestone, just outside Marsannay. There are some intriguing smoky notes, with echoes of coffee and caramel. In many ways, it is the even more hirsute cousin of the Clos du Roy. A unique and fascinating wine. Drink 2019-2025.
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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

The 50-year-old vines that go into this cuvée sit at each end of the Vosne-Romanée appellation. Harvested at just 25hl/ha, there is an added layer of concentration this year, while maintaining the sensual, floral elegance I associate with this mini-Vosne. Beautiful. Drink 2019-2024.
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.

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.

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.

Orchis mascula is a type of orchid; all the wines in Claire's original low SO2 range carry the name of a flower. This has a wonderful delicate colour and a lovely floral scent. To preserve those floral notes from the whole-bunch pressing, there is no pumping over and hardly any punching down during fermentation, which also explains the light colour. This is not a powerful wine on the palate, but the delicacy of the fruit carries it. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Since 1994, Claire Naudin, one of Henri Naudin-Ferrand’s three daughters, has been in charge of this small domaine based in the Hautes Côtes at Magny-lès-Villers, a village that sits astride the dividing line between Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Claire is relatively susceptible to sulphur and uses the product as little as possible. Her most exciting wines are those which are vinified with whole bunches (all the stems) and without sulphur, though some SO2 is added at bottling to ensure that the wines remain stable thereafter. Claire’s theory, which her wines bear out admirably, is that there is none of the harshness sometimes evident when the bunches are vinified with their stems if sulphur is not used. Instead a magical floral perfume emanates from the wine. Claire Naudin’s farm and winery may look ramshackle, but there’s an attention to detail here which is admirable. The rather old-fashioned look of her tanks and equipment seems to hark back to gentler times, and her wines certainly reflect that. The frosts were drastic here, and Claire lost 70 percent of her crop, and two 70-year- old parcels of Aligoté were completely destroyed. Previously Claire has made two ranges, one with more standard winemaking, but this year everything is made with low SO2.

Half the fruit here is from the domaine, the rest is bought in from their next-door neighbour. Very much in the Rion style, this has a compact core of plum and blackberry fruit, and no shortage of worthy tannins. It’s not as lush as some 2016s, and none the worse for that. Drink 2021-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Patrice Rion and his wife Michèle began their own small domaine in 1990 with just two wines, Bourgogne Rouge, Les Bons Bâtons and Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras, while Patrice was still working as winemaker with his family at Domaine Daniel Rion. In 2000 Patrice left the family business to develop his own estate further. Today most of the vineyards are in Nuits-St Georges and Chambolle-Musigny. Recent vintages have seen the increasing involvement of Patrice’s son Maxime. The Rion cellar is a bit emptier this year, partially because of the frost but also, more significantly, because their arrangement in Chambolle for Villages, Fuées, Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares has terminated, and 2015 was the last vintage of those lovely wines. Maxime Rion initially found the 2016s a little “monolithic” after fermentation, but they have discovered their terroir in barrel. The vintage shows more red fruit than black, with the fruit of frosted vineyards having more colour. The long, cool end of season reminds him of 1996 but, whereas that vintage is only starting to drink now, the 2016s will open up earlier. The estate also has a new wine, a Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits from the Dames Huguettes vineyard. It’s made from bought-in fruit, but chosen from an especially well-sited and tended vineyard.

Myosotis arvensis is forget-me-not. This is more structured and ample than the Orchis. The vines are not that old, but they have plenty of presence. The bouquet is a bit earthier, but still with the swirling top notes of Pinot. The palate has something a little untamed, but also more going on. A ragamuffin of a wine. Drink 2019-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Since 1994, Claire Naudin, one of Henri Naudin-Ferrand’s three daughters, has been in charge of this small domaine based in the Hautes Côtes at Magny-lès-Villers, a village that sits astride the dividing line between Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Claire is relatively susceptible to sulphur and uses the product as little as possible. Her most exciting wines are those which are vinified with whole bunches (all the stems) and without sulphur, though some SO2 is added at bottling to ensure that the wines remain stable thereafter. Claire’s theory, which her wines bear out admirably, is that there is none of the harshness sometimes evident when the bunches are vinified with their stems if sulphur is not used. Instead a magical floral perfume emanates from the wine. Claire Naudin’s farm and winery may look ramshackle, but there’s an attention to detail here which is admirable. The rather old-fashioned look of her tanks and equipment seems to hark back to gentler times, and her wines certainly reflect that. The frosts were drastic here, and Claire lost 70 percent of her crop, and two 70-year- old parcels of Aligoté were completely destroyed. Previously Claire has made two ranges, one with more standard winemaking, but this year everything is made with low SO2.

Virgile’s expertise was tested here, as these lower- lying vineyards (Les Seuvrées and Les Murots) were attacked aggressively by mildew. He has, however, emerged with honour, as this is good, honest Gevrey, built in a lighter but appealing frame. Drink 2020-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Virgile Lignier started working alongside his father in 1988, really taking charge from 2000, by which time all the wines were being bottled at the domaine. Significant advances were made in the vineyards, reducing yields and ploughing the soil, along with the introduction of a sorting table and a higher percentage of new wood in the cellar. The domaine has an exemplary range of Morey- St Denis vineyards, supplemented by one or two cuvées from neighbouring villages. By his own admission, in his early days Virgile Lignier looked for too much extraction from his wines. The tide began to turn in 2006 and today he is very comfortable in his style. He does like to look for good levels of maturity and he waited just a day or two more than his neighbours to pick, beginning on 29th September and finishing on 3rd October in his Faconnières vineyard. He likes long skin contact, starting at a cool temperature, but with limited pumping over. Virgile is perfectly satisfied with his results in 2016, but did remark that it was hard work getting to what was eventually a very healthy harvest.

The vines are over 60 years old, but production was down 45 percent. This is pale in colour and very subtle. It is the biodynamic way – the finesse creeps up on you. A wine you initially thought was a bit insubstantial ends up filling your mouth with perfume and unexpected intensity. Very lovely, it glides with translucent red fruit. Drink 2020-2027.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The domaine was created through the marriage of Jacques Rossignol of Volnay with Mado Trapet from a noted family in Gevrey-Chambertin. Their sons Nicolas and David Rossignol have managed the domaine since 1990, moving subsequently to biodynamic farming. The first experiments started in 1997 with their Chapelle- Chambertin, followed by conversion of the whole domaine in 2004. Vinification includes a small proportion of whole bunches, while the trend in recent years has been to look for an increasingly elegant expression of Pinot Noir. It’s a remarkable cellar this year, with brothers Nicolas and David radiating calm and understanding. As elsewhere, this was a very challenging vintage for them, especially in Beaune, the village Gevrey vines and Le Chambertin. Containing the mildew required an incredible amount of work by hand. Their biodynamic strategy seems to have paid off though; after a slow start to the range, the impression was of incremental qualities. Intensity, not density. Nicolas and David referred us to Nono, Love and the Soil by Gaston Roupnel, a novelist born in Gevrey.