Ric re-visits Domaine Faiveley: 2016 wines

We were enraptured by a sense of deja vu as the same group of us climbed up the same flight of stairs as we’d done so two years ago at the modest headquarters of Domaine Faiveley at the heart of the little township of Nuits-Saint-Georges on the afternoon of 22 November 2017, where it was very good, once again, to be welcome by its seventh generation owner M. Erwan Faiveley. One of the chief reasons for re-visiting Faiveley again was to inspect its new chai and, indeed, the old buildings have been modernised, now larger, cleaner with an almost chapelle-like building to house the vinification vats which also affords a direct view to a newly-acquired plot of Nuits-Saint-Georges village vines. The extensive cellars beneath now appears brighter as well with newer lighting installations, where endless rows of barrels contain the wines of 2016 and 2017. Three barrels of 2017 Musigny Grand Cru were spotted, seemingly much more than before. Erwan proceeded to spoil us with an extensive barrel tasting of the domaine’s 2016 wines, while lower in quantities due to extensive frost and hail during the growing season, which are outstanding for both the whites and reds even though they have only spent 12 months in barrel at this stage. Thank you very much, Erwan, for your time and generosity and thanks to FICOFI too.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Puligny-Montrachet Champs Gain 1er. White flowers with grassy elements, showing great intensity, concentration and acidity. Refreshing.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Delicate floral bloom, rich in crème de la crème, showing great focus with plenty of opulence and great minerals with superb seamless acidity. Plenty of verve. Glorious.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Rich in crème de la creme and earthy minerals in equal measure with traces of nutmeg and exotic spice. Generous with  supple acidity. Poised with very good presence, finishing with subtle intensity.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Rich, poised and elegant. Abundant clear citrus and crème, quite opulent with quiet intensity. Very clean feel. Less structured at the finish, but Erwan thinks Faiveley’s Corton-Charlemagne is better than the Puligny grand crus.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er. Deep purple. Bellpepper, raspberries, dark currants and sandy minerals dominate, showing good Nuits-Saint-Georges terroir character. Medium-bodied. Very fine in acidity with good integration and rounded tannins, slightly sweet, finishing with fine intensity.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Issarts 1er. Deep clear purple. Rich in ripe raspberries and blueberries with clear tangerines, showing excellent presence and depth. Very elegant, finishing with smooth acidity. Distinctly feminine.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Good color. Lovely bouquet of camphor, red cherries and tangerines, displaying good supple acidity with understated saline minerals, culminating in a gentle finish.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Deep colour and lift. Fleshy. Good presence of ripe dark berries with earthy tones and ferrous minerals, open without being opulent.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep colour with an aromatic rosy fragrance. Good concentration of fruit with a light touch, elegant and feminine. Gentle finish.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru. Slightly reticent on the nose. More minerally on the palate. Rounded with soft subtle acidity. Tinge of austerity at finish.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Very dark. Powerful earthy pungency dark red fruits currants tangerines excellent concentration fine acidity intensity very full subtly structured slightly austere finish.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Good colour with dark rosy characters. Fleshy with excellent integration of fruit and acidity, subtly structured. Not showy. Excellent.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Beze Ouvrees Rodin Grand Cru. Dark red fruits tinged with chocolate and mocha, superbly integrated with great intensity of fruit and sublime acidity. Excellent presence.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru monopole. Deep ruby. Deep currants, smoke and dark fruits. Fleshy with great acidity, structured with delicious tannins. Big but well balanced. A perennial favourite of mine.