2019 Burgundy Vintage

Brilliant, yet very well priced - 2019, a rare vintage in every sense

It is always with a great degree of excitement that we welcome the latest releases from the region, and these superb 2019s are no exception. 2020 obviously brought along many challenges, not least organising tastings for these 2019 releases, so I am delighted to confirm that further to an important buying trip squeezed in by our resident Frenchman Ludo Surina, between two lockdowns, and a large number of cask samples being sent to our Langham offices, the team managed to taste the vast majority of cuvées.

With quality continuing to be extremely high across reds and whites, and prices remarkably stable given the low volumes produced, 2019 is a vintage you will be so pleased to have in your cellar. As always the team is ready to help you make your selection, so do please access our expertise by calling us on 01206 713560 or emailing us at hello@mrwheelerwine.com.

Please find details of the 2019 Burgundy Producers below.

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Domaine Samuel Billaud (Chablis)

The Billaud family have been producing great Chablis since 1815. Sixth generation Samuel set out on his own in 2010 and it is fair to say that after a decade, his dynamic approach and great winemaking touch have taken his Domaine from a status of Rising Star to one of the very best, established growers in the region. Samuel makes precise, elegant and terroir-true expressions of every vineyard in his care. His wines are electric and simply crackle with the tension and vibrancy which can be found in the region’s best wines. Offering scintillating wines from the refreshing, steely fresh Petit Chablis through to bold and dynamic Grand Crus, Samuel Billaud is a master of his craft, and as Neal Martin points out, “We should see him right at the top of Chablis producers alongside the likes of Raveneau and Vincent Dauvissat”. These are singular Chablis and the sheer embodiment of purity and poise.

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Domaine Séguinot-Bordet (Chablis)

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet can trace its history back to 1590, although the property, now run by Jean-Francois Bordet, is anything but dated. The wines are made in a well-equipped modern winery, with vinification taking place in stainless steel vats. The Domaine’s vineyards occupy some of Chablis’ most prestigious sites, and following 3-5 months lees ageing, the wines have a wonderful luscious and pristine style. A great source of highly affordable Grand Cru.

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Domaine des Malandes (Chablis)

André and Gabrielle Tremblay harvested their first grapes in the Fourchaume vineyard in 1949. They passed on what is now Domaine des Malandes to their daughter, who in turn bequeathed the estate to her children Richard and Amandine, who are now at the helm of this excellent Domaine. The wines here shine in the 2019 vintage, and manage to combine the minerality, precision and classicality of traditional Chablis, with a touch more roundness, expression and generosity. The Premiers and Grands Crus are a beacon of quality.

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Domaine Long-Depaquit (Chablis)

Domaine Long-Depaquit can be traced back to 1791 when Jean Depaquit and his brother Simon moved to Chablis. They purchased vineyards and developed their Domaine into one of the most renowned producers of Chablis today. Now owned by Albert Bichot in Beaune, Domaine Long-Depaquit offers an impressive range of Premier and Grand Crus. A sustainable approach, limited yields and skilful winemaking creates incredibly invigorating and mineral-edged wines. ‘La Moutonne’, a monopole in the heart of the Grand Cru vineyards, between Vaudésir and Les Preuses, is one of their most celebrated cuvées, known for its incredible precision, elegance and staying power. Whichever cuvée you choose, these are delicious, mineralrich chardonnays of the highest order.

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Domaine Claudie Jobard (Demigny)

Claudie Jobard may have established her Domaine in Demigny relatively recently in 2006 (adding her grandfather’s Pommard property to her holdings in 2011), but she represents the 7th generation of the Jobard family, and with a father running a vine nursery and an oenologist mother, she has been very much steeped in the world of wine since birth. All the plant material used here come direct from their own nursery, and indeed this Domaine is a rare exception, in that Claudie has absolute control of every stage of wine production, from the vine’s seed all the way to labelling and bottling. Her experience and meticulous attention to every detail is clear to see in the glass – the resulting wines are impressively harmonious, concentrated yet with lifted aromas and a fine texture.

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Laurent Cognard (Côte Chalonnaise)

Based at the Château de Buxy, Laurent Cognard makes some of the finest wines in Montagny. Laurent’s father and grandfather had previously sold the estate’s grapes to the local co-operative – Laurent changed tack in 2002, and started to vinify his own wines, and now has 18 hectares within Loché, Mercurey and Montagny. Laurent strives for freshness and balance, using organic principles as much as possible. The wines are aged in 500 litre casks, which Laurent believes brings out the complexity and minerality of the wines. He makes wines of great presence and intensity.

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Nicolas Maillet (Mâconnais)

This 7 hectare Domaine in the small village of Verzé has been in Nicolas’ family for 4 generations, and after 70 years of them supplying the local cooperative, he has been bottling his own wines since 1999. From his state-ofthe- art winery come wines of superb purity, precision and textural weight, without a hint of heaviness; upon tasting the wines for the first time this year we were blown away and it became clear at once why top Meursault producer (with a large Domaine of his own in the Mâconnais) Dominique Lafon is a big fan - this is a super classy wine that belies its relatively humble origins.

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Domaine Gérard Thomas & Filles (St Aubin)

Domaine Gérard Thomas & Filles have been a firm favourite of ours for many years. Winemaking at this excellent address is now handled by Gérard’s two daughters Anne and Isabelle. The Thomas house style is one of rich texture with purity of fruit, yet with freshness and precision, and, crucially, very well-judged use of oak. It doesn’t hurt that these wines also deliver hard-tobeat value. Their superstar release is most certainly the impressive St Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien; a beautifully sited Premier Cru vineyard located a mere stone’s throw from the most sublime white Grand Cru of all - Le Montrachet.

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Domaine Gérard Thomas & Filles (St Aubin)

Domaine Hubert Lamy (St Aubin)

Olivier Lamy runs what is widely considered the finest estate in Saint-Aubin, and indeed one of the finest in the Côte d’Or. The wines here frequently put to shame Puligny or Chassagne at twice the price. Clearly one of Burgundy’s greatest talents, Olivier’s overriding pursuit of excellence in the vineyard, and of purity and definition in each and every cuvée, yields wines of scintillating freshness, brilliant terroir expression and superb age worthiness. A domaine to follow year in, year out, and in scintillating form once again.

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Domaine Bzikot (Puligny-Montrachet)

A new addition to our portfolio this year, Sylvain Bzikot is at the head of the estate painstakingly assembled one parcel at a time by his grandparents in the 1940s, after a few years spent working in the fields upon their arrival from Poland. Now consisting of an impressive 15 hectares, this Domaine is an excellent source of barrelfermented Puligny-Montrachet with great tipicity, at a very competitive price. Ignore at your peril!

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Domaine Jacques Carillon (Puligny-Montrachet)

We have been visiting the Carillon cellars in Puligny for many, many years, and this is undeniably one of the very greatest Domaines in the village. These are classic, ‘grown-up’ burgundies, exhibiting a unique fusion of mineral linearity and supreme tension. Up there alongside the greatest winemakers in the world, Jacques’ wines speak so clearly of their unique terroir and so eloquently of their ‘place’. “I admire the precision and terroir expression in Jacques’ wines, pure and fizzing with energy. They come highly recommended” Neal Martin, Vinous.com

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Domaine Jacques Carillon (Puligny-Montrachet)

Domaine Morey-Coffinet (Chassagne-Montrachet)

We discovered the wines of this Chassagne-Montrachet rising star (established in its current form “only” 30 years ago, although the family cellars date from the 16th century) for the first time in 2020, and although we were immediately impressed by the portfolio of great vineyards the Morey family cultivate, it was upon tasting the wines with Thibault Morey that we fell in love with them. The estate is run according to biodynamic principles throughout. Thibault is one of the new generation of winemakers who, through precise, rigorous work and an open mind not only to traditional and modern techniques but also to different expressions of the Burgundy terroirs, produce truly exciting wines. These are wines that combine richness and power with complexity and elegance effortlessly, and they come highly recommended.

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Domaine Morey-Coffinet (Chassagne-Montrachet)

Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot (Chassagne-Montrachet)

A truly brilliant winemaking force and a winemaker very dear to the heart of Mr.Wheeler; Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot is one of the very best sources of fine Burgundy. Whilst his reds clearly demonstrate why Chassagne first established its reputation as a red wine commune, Jean- Marc’s whites are seductive and richly-textured with superb precision, opened aromatics and flawless balance. From modest Santenay and St Romain to the exalted Chevalier- Montrachet, there is also something to suit all budgets – only one thing is certain: we all need one (or three) of Jean-Marc’s wines in our Burgundy selection.

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Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot (Chassagne-Montrachet)

Domaine Patrick Javillier (Meursault)

Over the past five decades Patrick, and now his daughter Marion, have built an impressive (and deserved) following and reputation, as not only one of the best Meursault producers out there, but also as one of the most consistently brilliant and good value producers in the entire Côte d’Or. Their Bourgogne Blanc cuvée Oligocène is a very strong contender for the title of Best Value White in Burgundy year in, year out. These are meticulously crafted wines of superb balance and harmony.

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Domaine Boyer-Martenot (Meursault)

Domaine Boyer-Martenot is run by Vincent Boyer who recently inherited the running of the famous Meursault Domaine from his father Yves. Thanks to his drive, enthusiasm, investment and talent, the wines are now reaching dizzying new heights. Vincent has enhanced the estate’s elegance by picking earlier than his father, using concrete eggs for the ageing and lengthening that part of the process from 12 months to 24. Vincent is now making wines that have greater acidity, brilliant minerality, length and ageing potential. This is an estate to watch!

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Domaine Dominique Lafon (Meursault)

Already responsible for some of the very finest white wines in the world at his family Domaine in Meursault, and for some of the best value the world of wine has to offer in their Maconnais outfit; Dominique Lafon has also been making his own wines for 12 years now, from vineyards he either owns or manages. The Dominique Lafon wines, produced at the Château de Bligny winery, are superb, showing the value of Dominique’s talent, experience and meticulous attention to detail. Simply, these are wines produced by one of the worlds greatest vinous talents.

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Benjamin Leroux (Volnay)

Benjamin has been a good friend of ours since his days at Comte Armand, and his powerful, impressive winemaking style shines through in 2019 where concentration meets with backbone and guile in the Volnay commune. He remembers his first ever visit to the UK back in 1999 where he spent some time staying with Richard Wheeler (Johnny’s father, sadly passed away last year), memorable not least for the friendly dispute regarding the relative merits of local Mersea native Oysters versus their French counterparts! Benjamin’s Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans reflects the greatest attributes of this excellent vintage. Density, richness and structure are all to the fore in a cuvée which gets better with every passing vintage.

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Domaine Joseph Voillot (Volnay)

Domaine Joseph Voillot holds 10 hectares of vineyards spanning the communes of Volnay and Pommard. Jean Pierre Charlot’s wines offer understatement and elegance, and in 2019 they have also delivered fruit richness and an intensity rarely captured in the communes. These wines are impossible to ignore, showing modern classicism whilst perfectly expressing the wine’s unique terroirs. These are wines which speak so eloquently of their individual sites and are the essence of pinot noir. For buyers keen to experience the purity and poise of Volnay and Pommard in a great vintage, look no further than Domaine Joseph Voillot.

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Domaine Comte Armand (Pommard)

One of the very finest producers in all of Burgundy, Domaine du Comte Armand is approaching its 200th anniversary very much at the top of its game. After Pascal Marchant from 1985 to 1998, Benjamin Leroux from 1999 to 2013, Paul Zinetti is the third highly talented winemaker at the helm of this grand estate, and he is producing wines of rare depth, purity and character. The monumental Clos des Epeneaux, for a long time the only wine produced here, still gives the best Grands Crus a run for their money, but just as impressive is the unbeatable value delivered by the Auxey-Duresses cuvées and the delicacy and perfume of the Volnays. You can’t go wrong at this address.

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Domaine A.F.Gros (Pommard)

The wedding of Vosne-Romanée’s Anne-Françoise Gros to Pommard’s François Parent led to the establishment in 1988 of this superb Domaine, with excellent holdings across both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. With the help of their children Caroline and Mathieu, they produce generous wines of power and depth, with gentle extraction and cool maceration giving the wines a beautifully seductive velvety texture. The bottlings’ labels are all adorned with a different female head, inspired by Anne-Françoise and the artist’s interpretation of the vineyard’s style.

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Domaine Du Pavillon (Pommard)

An exciting new addition to our offer last year, and continuing on good form in 2019, Domaine Du Pavillon is located south of Pommard in the Côte de Beaune. They practice organic viticulture with an ongoing respect for the complex equilibrium found in nature. The winery was modernized in 2016, allowing the vinification of more of the Côte de Beaune’s star single vineyard wines. From the 2018 vintage, all the wines from the estate bear the certified “organic wine” label.

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Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard (Savigny-lès-Beaune)

One of Savigny’s oldest Domaines, originally founded in 1529. Jean-Jacques has been producing wine here as the sole proprietor since 1998, and with significant recent investment in the cellar and winery he is producing outstanding wines. With his long experience of viticulture, Jean-Jacques firmly believes that the best wines are made in the vineyard and thus focuses his efforts on optimising the quality and health of the grapes themselves. This effort is reflected in his delightfully supple, elegant and classic wines, with his Savigny and Corton releases of particular note in 2019.

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Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard (Savigny-lès-Beaune)

Domaine Tollot-Beaut (Chorey-lès-Beaune)

Domaine Tollot-Beaut has sat modestly in the centre of Chorey-lès-Beaune since it was created by the Tollot family in the 1930s. Holding around 28 hectares of vines throughout the region, the estate boasts ownership within some of Burgundy’s most famed terroirs and produces delicious wines from humble Bourgogne through to Grand Cru. Nathalie Tollot, who runs the property, is a most welcoming host and her wines are certainly amongst the most consistent in Burgundy. A release that we know so well, Nathalie’s Chorey-lès-Beaune, illuminates our offer this vintage. Unquestionably one of the best value wines of the Cote d’Or with every passing vintage, the generosity offered by 2019 allied to the fine structure and sappy red fruit flavours that Nathalie’s Chorey is so well known for combine brilliantly this vintage. This is a must-buy!

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Domaine Tollot-Beaut (Chorey-lès-Beaune)

Domaine Lécheneaut (Nuits-St-Georges)

Offered by Mr.Wheeler for only the third vintage and one of the most exciting recent additions to our portfolio, Philippe and Vincent Lécheneaut’s ten-hectare estate in Nuits-St- Georges was created by their father, Fernand Lécheneaut in the 1980s. An extensive range of the finest villages of the Côte de Nuits is produced here; we have picked what we think are the best in 2019 - perfect expressions of pinot noir – rich, sumptuous and elegant, these are modern wines made with minimum intervention that combine purity of fruit with stunning terroir expression.

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Domaine du Clos Frantin (Nuits-St-Georges)

Officially recognised as organic from the 2018 vintage, Domaine du Clos Frantin is the star estate within the wider Maison Albert Bichot Group. The Domaine holds an exceptional range of Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites in the Côte de Nuits and in recent years, a reduction in yields, carefully judged extraction and prudent wholebunch fermentation means that the wines now compete against those from some of the very best producers in Burgundy, whilst remaining fantastically well-priced. Mr.Wheeler is delighted to have secured a small allocation of a range of dizzying Premier and Grand Cru cuvées in 2019 and as such, an early indication of interest is highly recommended.

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Domaine du Clos Frantin (Nuits-St-Georges)

Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut (Chambolle-Musigny)

Anne and Hervé Sigaut balance the heritage of a Domaine established at the dawn of the 19th Century with 21st century know-how seamlessly. As with most top addresses up and down the Côte d’Or, the leitmotif here is “great wine is made in the vineyard”. The attention to detail and perfectionism are impressive, and yield perfect fruit, which is dealt with the utmost delicacy and respect in the winery, to achieve delicacy, elegance and silky textures - what Chambolle- Musigny is all about. This is a new Domaine to us this year, and we are very excited to bring these wines to you.

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Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut (Chambolle-Musigny)

Domaine Michel Magnien (Morey-St-Denis)

Frédéric Magnien is the fifth generation to run this biodynamic family estate in Morey-Saint-Denis. This is one of the finest estates in the region with wines of extraordinary aroma, purity of fruit and elegance partnering the trademark Magnien richness and depth, with subtle use of new oak. Under any normal circumstances these are burgundies to make you sit up and take notice, but in the 2019 vintage this is especially true!

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Domaine Joseph Roty (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Domaine Joseph Roty has one of the largest cult followings of any small Burgundy grower and has regularly produced some of the most exquisite wines of the region. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, the family have been producing wine since the time of Louis XIV, a staggering eleven generations since 1710. It is now run by Joseph’s youngest son Pierre- Jean and is particularly noted for the vines which are thought to date back to the end of the 19th century. The Domaine’s wines are bold in the glass and exuberantly fruit driven, with a notable use of oak. Vintage after vintage, the wines of Joseph Roty are amongst the most sought-after in all of Burgundy. Here we are delighted to offer their “late release” 2018s.

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Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Florence Heresztyn and her Champenois husband Simon Mazzini lead Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini, one of the most progressive, terroir-true of all Gevrey- Chambertin growers. A relative newcomer in Burgundian terms, the estate has delighted the Mr.Wheeler tasting team across numerous vintages, with 2019 the latest to enthral and excite. Most of the estate’s wines are made along biodynamic principles, with partial whole-bunch fermentation which has once again produced wines of notable perfume, richness, texture and depth of fruit. The generosity but equally, tight-lipped restraint and crunch of their Gevrey Chambertin cuvées is utterly beguiling and from the estates’ Morey St Denis and Grand Cru Clos St Denis parcels can be found wines the equal of any grower in the region. Simply, these are wines you are certain to fall in love with and we cannot recommend them highly enough.

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Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Domaine Rossignol-Trapet (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Domaine Rossignol-Trapet produce some of Burgundy’s most sumptuous, exotic, complex and exciting pinot noir. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, their wines offer great depth, concentration and exude a wealth of character. Always true to their terroir, these wines are stylish, accessible and beautifully made across the range. We are thrilled to have secured an allocation of Nicolas and David’s splendid and highly sought-after 2019s, with their rich, pure and bold fruit flavours and extraordinary depth and texture. The sheer confidence in the glass and the fine balance between luscious fruit concentration and scintillating tension simply electrify Rossignol-Trapet’s wines – they are truly a joy. Nicolas and David converted to biodynamic viticulture in 2004, with around one third new oak used for the premiers crus, rising to two thirds for their grands crus.

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Domaine Rossignol-Trapet (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Domaine Livera (Gevrey-Chambertin)

A new find for Mr.Wheeler in the 2018 vintage and one we are pleased to follow since then; Domaine Livera is widely considered the “next Burgundian star” tellingly both by consumers of their exceptional wines together with their winemaking contemporaries. The Livera family have been settled on the Domaine for almost 100 years, but Damien, who has been in charge for 13 years now, has taken the wines to a different level altogether. His style is one of purity, precision of fruit and impressive depth, quite reminiscent of the wines produced by Arnaud Mortet (who is a close friend and advisor). This is an up-and-coming address and very much one to watch.

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Domaine Sylvie Esmonin (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Located in the old part of the village of Gevrey- Chambertin, at the foot of the legendary Clos Saint- Jacques vineyard, since 1988 the scrupulous Sylvie cultivates 7 ha under her own name. Her deep knowledge of the vines and meticulous vinification techniques result in wines of maturity and intensity, capable of great ageing potential. As you’d expect these wines are in very high demand and Mr.Wheeler are delighted to be offering a selection of wines from Sylvie for the third vintage in a row. We urge you to snap up a case or two of these sensational wines, whilst you can…

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Domaine Sylvie Esmonin (Gevrey-Chambertin)

Domaine Aurélien Verdet (Arcenant)

From his modest winery hidden off the beaten track in the little village of Arcenant in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Aurélien Verdet crafts wines of astonishing purity and precision. A highly talented young winemaker whose following is growing steadily every year, Aurélien is no exception to the adage that “Great wine is created in the vineyard”. Indeed, he lavishes great care and attention on his 5.5 ha of vines, which he farms organically to produce fruit of superb quality. The winemaking is then all about respecting that fruit to bring the terroir through, which he does with great aplomb. A rising star to watch!

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