Burgundy 2018

Samuel Billaud is a producer of exceptional Chablis, and the undoubted driving force within the famed Domaine Billaud-Simon following the estate’s division during the last decade. Having reclaimed several hectares of the original estate’s vineyards and set out on his own, Samuel has rapidly reinforced his reputation and become one of the region’s most dynamic and respected growers. Samuel makes precise, elegant and terroir-true expressions of every vineyard in his care. His wines are electric and simply crackle with the tension and vibrancy for which the region is so well known. Offering scintillating wines from the refreshing, steely fresh Petit-Chablis through to bold and dynamic Grand Crus, Samuel Billaud is a master of his craft. These are singular Chablis and the sheer embodiment of purity and poise.

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New to the Mr.Wheeler list; Domaine Long-Depaquit can be traced back to 1791 when Jean Depaquit and his brother Simon moved to Chablis. They purchased vineyards and developed their domaine into one of the most renowned producers of Chablis today. Now owned by Albert Bichot in Beaune, Domaine Long-Depaquit offers an impressive range of Premier and Grand Crus. A sustainable approach, limited yields and skilful winemaking creates incredibly invigorating and mineraledged wines. ‘La Moutonne’, a monopole in the heart of the Grand Cru vineyards, between Vaudésir and Les Preuses is one of their most celebrated cuvées, known for its incredible precision, elegance and staying power. Whichever cuvée you choose, these are delicious, mineral-rich Chardonnays of the highest order.

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Olivier Lamy runs what is widely considered the finest estate in Saint-Aubin. The wines here are of the quality of Olivier’s neighbours in Puligny-Montrachet but at a mere fraction of the cost. Clearly one of Burgundy’s greatest talents, Olivier’s overriding pursuit of purity and definition in each and every cuvée yields wines of scintillating freshness, brilliant terroir expression and superb age worthiness. A Domaine to follow year in, year out, and in scintillating form in 2018.

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A truly brilliant winemaking force and a winemaker very dear to the heart of Mr.Wheeler; Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot is one of the very best sources of fine Burgundy. Whilst his reds clearly demonstrate why Chassagne first established its reputation as a red wine commune, Jean-Marc’s whites are seductive and richly-textured with superb precision, opened aromatics and flawless balance. From modest Santenay and St Romain to the exalted Chevalier-Montrachet, there is also something to suit all budgets – only one thing is certain: we all need one (or three) of Jean-Marc’s wines in our Burgundy selection.

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At the helm of the family estate since 2000, Henri Darnat and his wife Marion manage their vineyards, including family Monopole (and smallest 1er Cru in Meursault) Clos Richemont with the utmost care, following the principles of organic viticulture. The proportion of old vines within their holdings means that they can leave the fruit on the vine a little longer without losing essential acids in the grapes, so the style of the estate is one of rich, seductive and opulent whites with excellent balance and harmony

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Domaine Boyer-Martenot is run by Vincent Boyer who recently inherited the running of famous Meursault domaine BoyerMartenot from his father Yves. Thanks to his drive, enthusiasm, investment and talent, the wines are now reaching dizzying new heights. The estate continues to make rich Meursault that drinks well relatively young, but Vincent has enhanced greatly the estate’s elegance and by picking earlier than his father, using concrete eggs for the ageing and lengthening that part of the process from 12 months to 24, Vincent is now making wines that have greater acidity, brilliant minerality, length and ageing potential. This is an estate to watch!

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Domaine Joseph Voillot holds 10 hectares of vineyards spanning the communes of Volnay and Pommard. Jean Pierre Charlot’s wines offer understatement and elegance, and in 2018 they have also delivered fruit richness and an intensity rarely captured in Volnay and Pommard. These wines are impossible to ignore, showing modern classicism whilst perfectly expressing the wine’s unique terroirs. These are wines which speak so eloquently of their individual sites and are the essence of pinot noir. For buyers keen to experience the purity and poise of Volnay and Pommard in a great vintage, look no further than Domaine Joseph Voillot.

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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, elegant and classic wines, with his Savigny and Pommard releases of particular note in 2018.

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In 2000 Jeremy and Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac launched a new venture that redefined the role of the négociant. Under the name Dujac Fils et Père, the son and father team established partnerships with some of the top growers in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. Capturing the essence and terroir-focussed expression of Domaine Dujac, the Dujac Fils et Père wines offer effortless precision and depth whilst offering value for money. Each wine is made with the same care and attention that the family lavishes on their Domaine Dujac bottlings. From a region where it is critical to “know your grower”, there can be very few estates which carry as much kudos as that of Dujac. Mr.Wheeler are delighted to receive a direct allocation of these exceptional wines.

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Offered by Mr.Wheeler for only the second vintage and one of the most exciting additions to our portfolio, Philippe and Vincent Lécheneaut’s ten-hectare estate in Nuits-St-Georges was created by their father, Fernand Lécheneaut in the 1980s. An extensive range of the finest villages of the Côte de Nuits is produced here; all were delicious in 2018 - perfect expressions of pinot noir – rich, sumptuous and elegant, these are modern wines made with minimum intervention that combine purity of fruit with stunning terroir expression. Hands down one of our best visits this year, this is an address to watch!

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From his modest winery hidden away from the beaten path in the little village of Arcenant in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Aurélien Verdet crafts wines of astonishing purity and precision. A highly talented young winemaker whose following is growing steadily every year, Aurélien is no exception to the adage that “Great wine is created in the vineyard”. Indeed, he lavishes great care and attention on his 5.5 ha of vines, which he farms organically to produce fruit of superb quality. The winemaking is then all about respecting that fruit to bring the terroir through, which he does with great aplomb. A rising star to watch!

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Florence Heresztyn and her Champenois husband Simon Mazzini lead domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini, one of the most progressive, terroir-true of all Gevrey-Chambertin growers. A relative newcomer in Burgundian terms, the estate has delighted the Mr.Wheeler tasting team across numerous vintages, with 2018 the latest to enthral and excite. Most of the estate’s wines are made along biodynamic principles, with partial whole-bunch fermentation which has once again produced wines of notable perfume, richness, texture and depth of fruit.

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A new find for Mr.Wheeler last vintage; Domaine Livera is widely considered the “next Burgundian star” tellingly both by consumers of their exceptional wines together with their winemaking contemporaries. The Livera family have been settled on the Domaine for almost 100 years, but Damien, who has been in charge for 13 years now, has taken the wines to a different level altogether. His style is one of purity, precision of fruit and impressive depth, quite reminiscent of the wines produced by Arnaud Mortet (who is a close friend and advisor). This is an up-and-coming address and very much one to watch.

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