2016 Échézeaux En Orveaux
The vines are not in one of the prime areas of Échézeaux, yet Faiveley generally manages to make very good wine from them, and 2016 is no exception. The wine is sensual with dark fruit, minerality, and length. It is medium-light on the palate. Only two barrels (600 bottles) made, which I compute to be about 5.4 hl/ha. (93-96)
2016 Clos-de-Vougeot
Although relatively closed at the time I tasted it, the Clos-de-Vougeot showed depth, power, and intensity to its dark fruits and plenty of structure. (93-97)
2016 Charmes-Chambertin
This plot, from the old Dupont-Tisserandot estate, is located just below Chambertin. (There is also a small plot in Mazoyères-Chambertin that in 2015 and 2016 was vinified separately and so is not a part of this wine.) The nose is intense, pure, and penetrating. The mouth shows ripe strawberry fruit with good energy and tension to balance the ripeness. (92-96)
2016 Latricières-Chambertin
The Latricières-Chambertins I tasted from 2016 were excellent, and certainly Faiveley’s is right up there. The wine shows great tension and energy to go with red and a little dark fruits. The wine is medium-light on the palate. (93-96)
2016 Mazis-Chambertin
Faiveley’s Mazis-Chambertin has typical dark plum fruits and is round with good length, but at this time did not show the tension or complexity of the Latricières-Chambertin. (91-95)
2016 Chambertin-Clos-de-Bèze
ThClos-de-Bèze is mineral and pure with dark fruit, tension, and nervosity. It is medium-full in body weight. Classic Clos-de-Bèze. (94-97)
2016 Chambertin-Clos-de-Bèze Ouvrées Rodin
This wine is from holdings in Clos-de-Bèze that at one time were owned by a patron of the sculptor Auguste Rodin who supplied grapes to Faiveley. The vines date, according to what I’ve been told on visits to Faiveley, to the 1920s, or to 1946-1947, or, according to Faiveley’s website, to 1966. At any rate, they are old. The nose is floral. There is more finesse here than in the previous Clos-de-Bèze, although perhaps not as much tension and energy. The dark fruits are deep, and overall the wine is typical of its appellation. (94-97)
2016 Musigny
The Musigny includes the wine from the new acquisition from Dufouleur. However, the upper portion of the Dufouleur wines were destroyed by the frost; the lower portion of those vines produced low normal yields; the vines Faiveley had prior to the acquisition were not affected. As a result, there are roughly 400 bottles of this wine in 2016, about 3-1/2 times the production in a normal year prior to the acquisition, but still below what the new total holdings can produce. As for the Dufouleur vines, I am told that although the Dufouleur Musigny was not of a quality to make it highly sought-after, the vineyards were well-tended (there are other similar instances in Burgundy, most especially in Chambertin). The wine was vinified with whole clusters and aged in three feuillettes (half-sized barrels). As a result of the feuillettes, the nose is oaky for now, although that should modify with time. In the mouth, the wine is pure, smooth, deep, and shows plenty of potential and finesses — once the new oak burns off. (94-98)
2016 Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley
I haven’t checked my previous reviews, but I can’t recall a Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley as great as this one seems to be. The red fruits are pure and precise with finesse. The wine is light on the palate, intense, penetrating, and long. There’s good acidity here and plenty of freshness. (95-98)