Domaine Sylvain Dussort

New generations and new people! Domaine Sylvain Dussort is slowly but surely preparing a generational switch, readying daughter Anne-Caroline Dussort to take over the estate from her father Sylvain, who has reigned since 1982 at the prominent address of 12 rue Charles Giraud in Meursault.

Anne-Caroline has worked in the wine business on the sales side – amongst others – in New York, and therefore brings a fresh, international view of things to the estate.

She underlines that she and her father agree on the basic principles. However, changes most surely will come as she takes over, and the estate is quietly adapting to climate change. Nothing is static in the world of wine.

I would not expect a revolution, as the wines here are very good, made in a more traditional style (what is by the way traditional – these days). That said, neither would I call them old school, as they have great character and depth, and a certain density.

The Dussort wines have a solid character and substantial mid-palate stance. They are certainly not flabby or excessively silky and rich, and they show a qualitatively reductive note that brings good balance.

These wines give quite some bang for the buck palate-wise without being over the top, and with the oak being quite discreet. This is not necessarily the case for many other substantial Meursaults…

The flagship is the Bourgogne blanc

Sylvain Dussort fought hard to have the appellation Bourgogne Côte d’Or established. He considers this special cuvee as his estate’s flagship wine, and it is certainly its largest bottling, with almost 10,000 bottles produced.

His attention to making a great regional wine is clear, and tasting the Bourgogne Côte d’Or is a treat. It shows that not all Burgundies have to be packed with reduction in order to express fruit on a different level from other generic Burgundies.

The estate does produce other wines that objectively are greater: its Meursault Vieilles Vignes and Meursault Limozin are both wines with more aging potential, and are indeed wines of character.

The estate produces four whites and two reds, and we tasted all from the 2018 vintage aside from the Aligote, which was from 2019.

To the notes

Domaine Sylvain Dussort Aligote 2019

The 2019 Aligote is relatively fresh and generous, with a vivid kick from the vintage. Intense for an Aligote, this is a fine introduction to the rest of the line-up. It is slightly reduced, with a mineral hint and a nice Aligote note. This would be a lovely wine with white fish or grilled chicken on the terrace. I do find a bit of Meursault minerality here, and a lovely saline note.

(Drink from 2022) – Good – (87p) – Tasted 15/04/2021

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Domaine Sylvain Dussort Bourgogne Cuvee des Ormes 2018

This is the domaine’s flagship wine, following Sylvain Dussort’s advocacy for the Bourgogne Côte d’Or appellation, and when you taste this cuvée you understand why it was created. The wine comes from the plots En l’Ormeau, Les Pellans, Les Malpoiriers, and Les Dressolles. It is harvested by hand, and aged for 12 months in barrels on its lees, then racked and assembled in an enamelled stainless steel vat before bottling. Bottling comes after 16-18 months’ total elevage, depending on the vintage. This is a rich, generous wine, with a clear reference to the Meursault appellation. Slightly reduced, very pure, and crystal clear, it shows a lovely mineral note. A rich wine without doubt – it is after all 2018. Dussort uses Diam 10 to close the 10,000 bottles produced.

(Drink from 2022) – Good+ – (87-88p) – Tasted 15/04/2021 –

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Domaine Sylvain Dussort Meursault Vieilles Vignes 2018

This wine is made from vines older than 50 years from several plots with complementary soil types. The Meursault VV is aged in barrels (a maximum of 30% new) and on its lees for 12-14 months, before being racked for blending into a vat prior to bottling after 16-18 months. The result is a rich, intense wine with a very fine mineral note. It is crystal clear and delicate, yet again, this is 2018, hence there’s also a certain density. Nonetheless, nice balance, combining ripe grapefruit with peach and apricot.

(Drink from 2027) – Very Good – (88-90p) – Tasted 15/04/2021 –

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Domaine Sylvain Dussort Meursault Limozin 2018

The Limozin is a more structured wine, with a strong mineral note, that would benefit from cellaring. It is from the area just north of Charmes and below Genevrieres, and shows a nice combination of those two terroirs. Eleven months in oak are followed by stainless steel. Made from 35-year-old vines, it is quite reduced at the moment, but still gives an intense impression of stony soil. There is quite a warm fruit note (greetings from the 2018 vintage). This will need a couple of years to unfold.

(Drink from 2028) – Very Good – (88-90p) – Tasted 15/04/2021 –

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Domaine Sylvain Dussort Bourgogne Cote d`Or Rouge 2018

A lovely, airy Bourgogne Côte d’Or, this is light-footed for the estate and for the vintage. It comes from the lieux-dits Le Lamerose and Clous Perron-Durot, and offers quite a perfumed rose. Fermented in open wooden vats, with 100% destemmed grapes and a three-day cold soak, this is delicate, and a delightful summer pinot.

(Drink from 2021) – Good – (86-87p) – Tasted 15/04/2021

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Domaine Sylvain Dussort Chorey-les-Beaune Les Beaumonts 2018

The use of 100% whole clusters means this wine is quite intense, and a bit more extracted. Somewhat closed on the nose, I do get hints of peony and cherries, but they are not overt. Style-wise, this is much more 2018 than the Bourgogne, so it will need time to integrate its density.

(Drink from 2025) – Good+ – (87p) – Tasted 15/04/2021