Visit Domaine Nicolas Faure, tasting of the 2016s from cask

I do visit quite many estates – and there are many great moments, and highlights – but one of the most precious visits was my first tasting at Domaine Nicholas Faure in the summer of 2016.

I came unprepared as I never tasted the wines before – but the tasting revealed a style and quality of the wines served, that I have never encountered before.

This is not about points or ratings, and the wines from these rather modest terroirs can’t match the complexity and greatness of a grand cru – they can however offer a presence, energy and balance rarely found in bigger and more expensive wines.

It’s hard to find the words to explain the difference between the Nicolas Faure wines, and most good and “normal” village Burgundies. In in a sense I have a glimpse of the same experience as when comparing a wine from Domaine Leroy with wines from another fine producers. There are something extra – a balance and perhaps even a closer link to the terroir. The integration to the terroir seems seamless – as if the vines are more in contact with the terroir. Not that I’m directly comparing the Nicolas Faure wines with the Domaine Leroy wines.

Perhaps this is just journalistic babblings – but this is however how I feel. And come to think of it – this is also the feeling I get when I taste the wines of Arnaud Tessier in Meursault – the very effortless and natural connection between the terroir and the wines produced. These are not technical wines but wines created in the vineyards – somehow also unpolished and uncompromised.

The 2014s, 2015s and 2016s from Nicolas Faure

Returning to the cellar of Nicolas Faure this year is both great and sort of depressing – as the amount of wine made in 2016 is even more miniscule. I do adore these wines … and think all should have the opportunity to taste them (after me that is).

I have tasted a few of the Nicolas Faure wines since the last visit – whenever I have the chance: The Aligote 2014 is still mindbogglingly good, and the 2014 reds are indeed magnificent for their level. The 2015 NSG is somewhat reduced currently – as sometimes seen with low SO2 wines in hotter years – examples being Pacalet and Prieure Roch in the 2009 vintage.

Sometimes they do need time to shed the reduction – taste the 2014s if possible instead – or if you need to taste the 2015s – give them ample time and decant the wines well before tasting.

I still have the red 2015s a notch over the 2014s – but for short term drinking I would choose the 2014s … in the end it’s a question of style.

The solution however seems to be at hand for this very serious dilemma – as the 2016 vintage offer at least some of the intensity of the 2015 vintage – but also some of the more classic coolness of the 2014 vintage.

In other words … the best of two worlds … but while I perhaps prefer the 2016s stylewise … I will settle for all three vintages. Chapeau Nicolas! …

A further note before going to the tasting notes … Nicolas Faure who is the boyfriend of Amélie Berthaut of Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet (another rising star) – and he will after the summer break be in charge of the viticulture at Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet. I therefore expect further improvements from Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet over the next years … Amélie has already raised the quality tremendously – the 2015s from Amélie are magnificent – see my notes on the 2015s here.
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Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine Nicolas Faure Bourgogne Aligote La Corvees de Bully 2014 June 21, 2017
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Herbues 2015 June 21, 2017
• Domaine Nicolas Faure, Bourgogne Aux Argillieres 2014 October 11, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Herbues 2014 October 11, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Aloxe-Corton 2015 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Bourgogne Aux Argillieres 2015 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Coteaux Bourguignons Mes Gamay 2015 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Herbues 2015 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Herbues 2014 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Herbues 2012 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Bourgogne Aligote La Corvees de Bully 2014 July 31, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure Bourgogne Aligote La Corvees de Bully 2015 July 30, 2016
• Domaine Nicolas Faure, Bourgogne Aux Argillieres 2014 June 23, 2016

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