Visit Domaine Faiveley – tasting of the 2015 vintage

My June trip to Burgundy included my first visit to Domaine Faiveley – and I was generously received by Erwan Faiveley, the dynamic and ambitious leader of the Faiveley estates.

Faiveley has improved a lot over the last decade or so under the management of Erwan Faiveley, and within the last 5 vintages the quality has reached new levels … and at the same time the style of the wines has changed from the sturdy and somewhat austere to a more fruity and refined expression of Burgundy.

Photo: Erwan Faiveley – June 2016

The journey towards higher quality has just begun, and currently Faiveley is restoring and rebuilding the old winery in the center of Nuits-Saint-Georges … a huge project that will be completed in 2017.

Additionally Faiveley has acquired some very fine vineyards and domaines – to expand the already impressive portfolio of vineyards and wines. The main addition is the Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot in Gevrey – with top plots in Laveaux St. Jacques, Charmes Chambertin and Mazis-Chambertin. Futhermore Erwan managed to buy an additional plot on Musigny from Dufouleur in 2015 … expanding the holdings in Musigny to 0.1318 ha.

I’m very impressed by the dedication of Erwan and his team … they strive towards perfection, and while they already have improved tremendously – Erwan is brutally honest about where further improvement is needed. I like this attitude … he is not there to sell the current or the next vintage .. he is there to build a new brand for Faiveley in the long run.

Faiveley produces a lot of different wines, and I was not able to taste all of them at this visit. But I tasted some of the best of the Cote de Nuits wines .. and I must say that I was very impressed by the quality level and the change of style.

So lets go to the notes:

Domaine Faiveley, Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Porêts 2015

Domaine Faiveley is one of the dominant owners on NSG Les Porêts – a vineyard located just north of Les Cailles south of Nuits-Saint-George towards Premeaux. Faiveley acquired this vineyard already in 1832 as one of the first after the estate was established in 1825. The 2015 edition of the Les Porêts is a rich and fruity wine, it’s quite forward offering a nice selection of red and dark berries in the bouquet .. brought forward by a earthy note. On the palate rich, weighty and powerful for this level – offering abundant fruit – it’s generous, quite focused and detailed with a nice Burgundian feel. This is a NSG powerhouse … not a ballerina as such.

(Drink from 2028) – Fine – (90 – 92p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetieres 2015

Gevrey-Chambertin did well in 2015 … and the Les Cazetieres from Faiveley is no exception. The nose is offering a generous collection of red fruit – sweet, ripe and vibrant with a nice minerality lurking in the background. On the palate rich and intense offering a lush and juicy mid-palate fruit. A lovely and very generous Cazetieres … love the energy.

(Drink from 2030) – Fine+ – (92 – 93p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 2015

The Lavaux Saint-Jacques is a step up in quality from the Cazetieres … it has the full 2015 magic.
In the nose layers of decadently rich red fruit – juicy, detailed and vibrant offering a nice transparent view to the terroir. On the palate very energetic fruit .. sexy and very generous with tremendous depth and refinement. It’s a exuberant wine – offering so much delicate and decadent fruit – and still offering a vibrant freshness and a lovely energy. Truly magnificent.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Fine – (93 – 94p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Issard 2015

Clos des Issard is a Faiveley monopole located just north of the Clos de Ruchottes – the upper part of Ruchottes-Chambertin owned by Domaine Armand Rousseau. It’s a 0.6095 ha 1er cru that Faiveley acquired in 2002 after renting the vineyard for around 50 years. The soil is limestone, and the terroir is a bit like Ruchottes-Chambertin. The 2015 Clos des Issard is a beautiful and refined Gevrey with a lovely generous fruit and a fine and filigree minerality. The nose offer juicy red berry fruit delivered and focused by the fine limestony minerality. On the palate rich and cool with more focus and detail than the Laveaux. The fruit is beautiful and juicy but perhaps not quite as energetic as the exuberant Laveaux … but nevertheless a both gorgeous and very delicate 2015 – a very interesting terroir.

(Drink from 2030) – Very Fine – (92 – 93p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Echezeaux 2015

The Faiveley Echezeaux comes from the climat La Combe d’Orveaux in the northern end of Echezeaux. The bouquet is offering fine red and dark fruits – slightly reductive currently. On the palate fine and quite generous fruit – a bit on the dense side offering plenty of stuffing. A weighty Echezeaux with good balance and length – a bit closed currently.

(Drink from 2032) – Very Fine – (93p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Charmes-Chambertin 2015

The Charmes-Chambertin is showing beautifully with quite some of the 2015 X-factor. The nose is displaying variations of delicious red fruit – rich and juicy. On the palate same story – layers of juicy fruit – generous and slightly opulent – but still cool and quite focused and refined. A textbook Charmes with all the qualities one could hope for and expect. A delightfully juicy wine.

(Drink from 2032) – Very Fine+ – (94 – 95p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Latrichere-Chambertin 2015

The Latriciere-Chambertin is a step up in quality from the Charmes-Chambertin as it’s more focused, detailed and refined. The nose offer very refined layers of red fruit supported by a intense and filigree minerality. On the palate cool and very vibrant fruit – refined, airy with tremendous energy. A very refined wine .. Latriciere does perform well in hotter years .. this is a gorgeous wine.

(Drink from 2032) – Outstanding – (95 – 96p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Mazis-Chambertin 2015

The Mazis-Chambertin is sort of in between the refined Latriciere-Chambertin and the generous and lush Charmes-Chambertin. The nose offer rich layered red fruit brought forward by a deep earthy minerality. On the palate layers of rich and energetic fruit .. very juicy and harmonious – generous and delicate – with quite some intensity and power. In the end it’s however the vibrant energy and the juicy fruit that sets the scene .. a outstanding Mazis – a tribute to the vineyards acquired from Dupont-Tisserandot.

(Drink from 2034) – Outstanding – (95 – 96p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Chambertin Clos de Beze Les Ouvrées Rodin 2015

The Chambertin Clos de Beze Ouvrees Rodin is quite a big step up in both quality and intensity … a truly magnificent wine. It’s produced from a plot with vines planted in 1966 … a special cuvee of Clos de Beze sold alongside the “standard” Clos de Beze. The nose is bursting with layers of exuberant red fruit focused and driven by a deep and intense minerality. On the palate very intense and weighty – with the most gorgeous energetic cool red fruit on the mid-palate .. it’s long, it’s refined and very intense. It offers the drive and energy that only the best 2015s have .. this is an exceptional wine.

(Drink from 2036) – Exceptional – (96 – 97p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

Domaine Faiveley, Corton des Cortons 2015

The Corton des Corton made from a large plot at the top of the Corton hill is a monumental wine. The powerful bouquet is very intense with layers of red and dark berry fruit powered by a intense minerality – a very serious wine. On the palate very intense and with tremendous length and concentration – a mighty Corton in the making. It does not quite have the energetic drive of the Clos de Beze Ouvrées Rodin, and will require years of cellering before it unfolds it’s full glory. As the would say in Germany – ein Jahrhundertwein. A outstanding wine by all standards.

(Drink from 2040) – Oustanding+ – (95 – 96p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Domaine Faiveley, Musigny – Cask 2- 2015

Faiveley made two casks of Musigny in 2015 – one from the old Faiveley plot, and one from the plot acquired from Dufouleur – just around the harvest. I tasted the Dufouleur cask – which is larger, and at this stage it’s not decided if they would be blended into one cuvee or bottled separately. The Musigny tasted offered a lovely nose with layer of red fruit – very refined and pure – a quite delicate nose with a lovely filigree display of the Musigny minerality. On the palate – same story – very refined, pure and cool .. a filigree and airy feel, with very fine length and mid-palate intensity. Not a powerhouse like the Clos de Beze or the Corton but it stood its ground in it’s own refined way. Quite impressive given that Faiveley had no opportunity to influence the viticulture .. so Dufouleur must have done a fine job. Will be interesting to see if there will be two Musigny’s from Faiveley in 2015.

(Drink from 2034) – Oustanding – (95 – 96p) – Tasted from cask 16/06/2016.

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Summing up

I must say I was impressed by the Faiveley wines in 2015 … and i really feel that they have captured the essence and spirit of the vintage the magnificently rich and energetic fruit. The Gevreys are truly magnificent, and the Clos de Beze Ouvrées Rodin is one of the best wines I have tasted so far in this vintage.

The Corton is out of this world – and almost too powerful in my Burgundian mind – the terroir is however very strong – and I’m sure this wine will unfold beautifully in 40 to 50 years .. a monument. It’s sort of just beyond me .. I normally prefer the refinement and joie de vivre forund in the Gevreys. Would however not mind to have a few Cortons des Corton 2015 in the cellar for a cold winter evening.