2012 Domaine Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

(still holding a lot of gas as it only finished its malolactic fermentation at the end of August; vinified with 50% whole clusters): Good dark red. Black raspberry, spices and a note of chocolatey torrefaction on the nose. Opulent, thick and sweet in the mouth but with an intriguing saline character contributing to the wine's attractive sugar/acid balance. This densely packed village wine will need some time in bottle to absorb its chocolatey oak. Strong potential here.

50% whole bunch, 50% new oak. Last to finish malolactic fermentation. From lots of different parcels. Lip smackingly good on the nose. Good freshness too. Fruit dominates even if there is a little oak on the finish. Pure black fruit pleasure. Lots of energy. (JR)

The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes comes from 60+ year old vines and also comes from several parcels towards the south of the village and from more limestone soils to the north. It includes 50% whole cluster fruit and the same percentage new oak. It has a very refined bouquet that unfolds in the glass – less immediate than the regular village cru – with very pure, mineral-rich dark berry fruit, with touches of flint and granite emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a superb structure and sense of symmetry on the entry. The black fruit merges with red fruit during the second half that shimmers with tension on the crystalline finish. This is just an outstanding Gevrey-Chambertin that should age with style. If you love Burgundy then Sylvie Esmonin has the ultimate back garden. I mean, imagine opening your back door and walking straight into Clos Saint Jacques. Sylvie’s parcel, one of five lucky enough to own vines in Gevrey-Chambertin’s greatest premier cru (all reviewed in this report incidentally) is part of her 7.80-hectares of vineyards, although like many other growers her Bourgogne Rouge and Volnay Santenots were both reduced down to a measly one barrel. Sylvie spoke with intense, infectious passion about her wines and her 2012s despite the depleted quantities. In 2012, she commenced picking on 24 September and finished around one week later. Sylvie has been practicing with whole cluster fermentation from 2000 and it is no different this year (see tasting notes for exact percentages.) She told me that she has a particularly cold cellar that meant that malo-lactic fermentations were very late – which suited her fine. She will make two rackings, one just after the malo-lactic and a second will be one month prior to bottling, though she is considering a third. Despite having to peer through a bit of reduction in the barrel samples, I adored her 2012s that stylistically reminded me of Trapet’s: cerebral wines, quite tannic, very linear, every atom imbued with freshness and tension, perhaps uncompromising wines that express their respective terroirs. This comes as no surprise given that she applies biodynamic practices in her vineyard, though perhaps she is less dogmatic than Jean-Louis. Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334-8191 and through Berry Brothers & Rudd.