2016 Burgundy Wine Producers
Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard
One of Savigny’s oldest domaines, originally founded in 1529. Jean-Jacques has been producing wine here as the sole proprietor since 1998, and with significant recent investment in the cellar and winery, is producing outstanding wines. With his long experience of viticulture, Jean-Jacques firmly believes that the best wines are made in the vineyard and thus focuses his efforts on optimising the quality and health of the grapes themselves.
This effort is reflected in his delightfully supple wines. 2016 has proved to be a highly successful vintage for Jean-Jacques, where he has created some exceptionally stylish and expressive releases which are true to their terroir and sing of a winemaker at the very top of his trade.
As always we are also proud to include a minute selection of previous vintages from the inimitable Jean-Jacque. Spread across three vintages, highlights include Savigny Les Beaune’s star vineyard; 1er Cru Les Lavieres and rare Corton-Charlemagne, both from the five star 2015 vintage.
Domaine Patrick Javillier
Patrick has been a good friend of ours for many years, and his delicious 2016s are sure to be popular. A tasting in the Javillier cellars is a highlight of any visit to Burgundy, and his wines are now quite rightly regarded as among the very finest in Meursault. Patrick’s highly sought-after wines are notable for their longevity, and have a poise and deftness of touch the envy of most winemakers in the village. We recently caught up with Patrick’s daughter, Marion Javillier, in London where she sang the praises of the 2016 vintage for the domaine.
Highlights in this focus include a small allocation of arguably Burgundy’s greatest value wine; Bourgogne Blanc ‘Cuvée Oligocène’. Originating close to the borders of both Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, with limestone rich terroir the cuvee offers the essence of the Javillier style and is available for a song.
In our tastings it regularly outshone far “grander” white Burgundies with far greater price tags. At the other end of the vinous spectrum we are delighted to have secured an allocation of Javillier’s Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. A finer Chardonnay you will struggle to find… Anywhere in the world.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Nicholas and David Rossignol make some of Burgundy’s most sumptuous, exotic, complex and exciting pinot noir. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, their wines offer great depth, concentration and exude a wealth of character. Always true to their terroir, these wines are modern, accessible and beautifully made across the range. We are absolutely thrilled to have recently received a small allocation of Nicolas and David’s splendid 2016s, those rich, pure and refreshing fruit flavours act as a perfect counter to 2015’s svelte and voluptuous nature. The sheer confidence in the glass and the fine balance between overt fruit concentration and scintillating tension simply electrified Rossignol-Trapet’s 2016s – they were truly a joy to behold.
Star wines from the vintage include the Gevrey-Chambertin Vielles Vignes and rare Grand Cru Chapelle-Chambertin, which were both simply breath-taking. It should be noted, however, that the domaine has achieved greatness across the board. The only disappointment is the low volume of production, which was a well-documented frustration throughout the Cote d’Or.
Domaine Gérard Thomas
Gérard Thomas’s wines have become firm favourites of ours over the last few years, with many of our customers recently snapping up the final cases of Gérard’s stunning 2015 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien in December.
Winemaking at this excellent domaine is now handled by Gérard’s two daughters Anne and Isabelle. The Thomas house style is one of purity, freshness and precision, with very welljudged use of oak.
Where 2016 was clearly a struggle for many highly esteemed growers in Meursault, Puligny and Chassagne, there was a notable focus and vibrancy in the Thomas portfolio which brought a smile to our faces.
These are not the most expensive wines you will come across during Burgundy 2016, rather they offer unashamed value. "I would argue that this collection of wines offered the greatest lift and urgency of any estate we enjoyed from this excellent vintage, and in the 2016 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien you have one of Burgundy’s greatest terroirs on scintillating form. As one of the vintages must buys, Gérard’s village St Aubin is an absolute steal. Fill your boots!” Martin Wheatley – Fine Wine Desk.
Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini
Florence Heresztyn and her Champenois husband Simon Mazzini have followed their impressive 2015 releases with an impeccable; terroir led and beautifully proportioned collection of releases in 2016. Most of which are made to biodynamic principles.
Partial whole-bunch fermentation has produced wines of notable perfume, richness, texture and depth of fruit.
A rising star and one of the most enjoyable ‘discoveries’ the Mr.Wheeler buying team made during their extensive tastings. Slightly clichéd, yes, but if you are to buy just one case of Red Burgundy from the 2016 vintage…Please make it one of these spectacular wines and you simply will not be disappointed.
Domaine Séguinot-Bordet
When we met Jean-François Bordet early in January he was justifiably pleased with the quality of his 2016s, which were amongst the hi-lights of an extensive series of tastings.
Jean-François’s ‘village’ Chablis has been in our cellars since last Autumn, and seems to go from strength to strength with every vintage. New to us with 2016 is his delicious Bourgogne Blanc, made from grapes grown close to Chablis - a vibrant, dynamic wine, and one of the purest expressions of chardonnay you will find. The Bordet Grand Cru is, as ever, one of the best-value wines to be found in the whole of Burgundy. The 2016 Vaudésir is a wine of breathtaking quality, and a fraction of the price of most Côte d’Or Grands Crus.
Domaine Séguinot-Bordet can trace its history back to 1590, although the winery, now run by Jean-Francois Bordet, is anything but dated. The wines are made in a well-equipped modern winery, with vinification taking place in stainless steel vats for the village wines, and careful maturation in second-fill barrels for the Grand Cru.
We are proud to include in our offer the last few cases of the domaine’s stunning 2015 Chablis Grand Cru Bourgros. Made in minute volumes, this offers exceptional value for money.
Domaine Henri Gouges
Few domains in Burgundy can attest so much history to the structure and protection of terroir within the region than at Domaine Henri Gouges. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Henri Gouges himself was instrumental in delineating the crus of the region; helping to shape of the Burgundy we know today.
Fast forward almost 100 years and cousins Pierre and Christian Gouges, grandsons of Henri, are the latest generation of the family at the domaine’s helm. Consisting of 14.5 hectares, the domains holdings include the Monopole 1er Cru Clos des Porrets together with an additional 5 further 1er Cru sites within Nuits St George.
These are powerful, structured wines made in minute volumes. As so often goes with the Burgundy territory, demand invariably outstrips supply. Add to this that 2016 reflected a significant deficit in production; you will understand why we suggest an early indication of interest if you are keen to secure a case or two of these sublime releases.
Domaine Jacques Cacheux
Domaine Jacques Cacheux began making wines in the 1950s. Having retired in the mid-1990s it is down to the perseverance and impeccable standards instilled by his son, Pascal, which has firmly rooted the domaine at the very top of Vosne-Romanee growers over the past decade.
Holding a total of 5 hectares of vines across the communes of Vosne Romanée, Echézeaux and Nuits-St-Georges, there is a silky purity and nature about these stunning wines which came into their own in the 2016 vintage.
Showing exceptionally well during our En Primeur tastings, we are delighted to offer a brace of the Mr.Wheeler buying team’s favourite cuvees. It should be noted that allocations of these sensational wines is sadly extremely small.
Domaine Hubert Lamy
Olivier Lamy runs what is widely considered to be the best estate in Saint-Aubin. The wines here are of the quality of Olivier’s neighbours in Puligny-Montrachet at a fraction of the price. We were absolutely delighted to welcome the Lamy range back to our portfolio with the 2014 and 2015 vintages, and recommend their 2016 releases without exception.
Olivier’s style is one of scintillating freshness, terroir true expression and an overriding pursuit of purity and definition in each and every cuvee. Clearly one of Burgundy’s greatest talents, the skill here is in securing a case or two of these brilliant wines before they sell through!
As with many of this year’s Burgundy focuses, a range of fine previous releases from the Lamy portfolio are available here, many for the very last time.
Domaine Jacques Carillon
We have been visiting the Carillon cellars in Puligny for many, many years, and this is undeniably one of the very greatest domaines in the village. These are classic, ‘grown-up’ burgundies, exhibiting a unique fusion of mineral linearity and supreme tension.
Up there alongside the greatest winemakers in the world, Jacques wines speak so clearly of their unique terroir and so eloquently of their ‘place’. Performing beautifully, we were presented with a vivacious and inspired range of Jacques’ wines in London in January; the only seemingly ubiquitous disappointment in 2016 appearing to be the shortfall in volumes produced. With such pedigree and worldwide demand, these wines should be snapped up without delay.
Domaine Benjamin Leroux
Benjamin has been a good friend of ours since his days at Comte Armand, and his powerful, impressive winemaking style shines through in 2016. Recalling his first ever visit to the UK back in 1999 during our recent tastings, Benjamin spent some time reminiscing about his stay with Richard Wheeler, not least for the friendly dispute regarding the relative merits of local Mersea Oysters versus their French counterparts!
We have selected a star pairing from an outstanding vintage for Benjamin; the Volnay Mitans being one of Mr.Wheeler’s favorite wines of the vintage. As with all of our other Burgundy Focuses this year, a fine selection of 2015 wines from the estate are also included. Star wines here include the last few cases of Corton Grand Cru, a delicious and immediately gratifying Auxey-Duresses Blanc and a bottling from the village from which Benjamin made his name; Pommard.