These are Tawse’s own vineyards and treated biodynamically. There’s plenty to like here in quality, but quantities, as with so much of Burgundy in 2016, are often distressingly low.
2016 Beaune 1er Cru Les Tuvilains
This wine is dense in its red fruits with some spice, and it shows some tannins but also roundness. 50% whole clusters. (89-92)
2016 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Les Lavières
What little there is of this wine (2 barrels in 2016 vs. 19 in 2017) is quite sensational. The wine is dense and spicy with strawberry and dark fruits that are intense and penetrating. 100% whole clusters. (91-94)
2016 Volnay 1er Cru Frémiets
The Frémiets has a dusty nose. The mouth shows pure red fruits, more dustiness, purity, penetration, intensity, and great freshness. 50% whole clusters. This wine is from the upper part of the vineyard. (92-95)
The following wines are from vineyards that were acquired from Domaine Maume a few years back. (I am informed that Bertrand Maume still has some vineyards and is/will be issuing wines under the Domaine label.)
2016 Bourgogne Vigne Blanche
From a vineyard that at one time was classified village Gevrey-Chambertin, this wine is delicate and light with pure strawberry fruit. What I tasted was not the full blend. 11.8º alcohol here. The vines were badly hit by the frost. (86-89)
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin
The nose shows wild dark fruits typical of Gevrey. The dark fruits continue in the moth with plenty of energy and purity. Overall, about 25% of a normal crop was lost in the frost. The vines range from 20 to 55/60 years in age. About 30% whole clusters, 25% new oak. (90-93)
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin En Pallud
En Pallud is just a village wine, but with Les Corbeaux to the west and La Perrière to the south, it has very good siting, so it’s not surprising that in many, if not most years, it produces wine of premier cru quality. This is one of those years. The wine shows excellent acidity along with penetrating dark fruits and great concentration. It is a pure and powerful wine. 14º natural alcohol (but one doesn’t sense the alcohol), vines that are 55-60 years old. (91-95)
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois
This vineyard, too, frequently produces premier cru quality of wines. Here, the location of the vineyard is just below the grand cru Griotte-Chambertin, and as I have often noted, the resemblance of wines from the two vineyards is close. This wine shows Griotte-like red cherry fruit with finesse. The wine is light on the palate, fresh, and crisp. There was some loss due to frost here. About 20% whole clusters. (91-95)
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux
The Champeaux is round and smooth with a touch of licorice, plenty of concentration to its wild red fruits, good tannins and firmness. One can feel the coolness of the vineyard here. No frost damage, 40% whole clusters, 13º alcohol, 40% new oak. (92-95)
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques
In contrast to the Champeaux, the frost resulted in a 30% loss from a normal crop at Lavaux Saint-Jacques. The nose is stony and chalky. The mouth is deep with penetrating dark plum fruit that is intense. The wine shows minerality and length. Grand cru quality here. (93-96)
2016 Mazoyères-Chambertin
When the Maumes made the wine, this was labelled as Charmes-Chambertin, as is permitted. Frankly, under the Maumes it never overwhelmed me. Not only is this wine better than any Charmes-Chambertin that Maume produced, it is substantially better and even potentially great. The nose is intense with blackberry syrup. The mouth, too, is intense with minerality and great concentration and energy. The grapes were entirely destemmed. Picking was very late here because it is a cold terroir — even Ponsot was finished when these grapes came in. Two barrels of this majestic wine, 50% new oak. (94-98)
2016 Mazis-Chambertin
The star grand cru under Maume was the Mazis-Chambertin, and there were some truly great ones made. I can’t say that this one is better than Maume’s greatest, but it is outstanding and potentially great, too. The wine has dark plum fruit that is intense, deep, and very, very concentrated and long. Mostly old vines here, about 30% whole clusters, and a 28-day cuvaison. (93-97)