In a few year time, Erwan Faiveley, at the head of the eponymous family estate, and Jérôme Flous, technical director, have radically changed the style of this great name of Nuits-Saint-Georges. For the greatest pleasure of the aficionados of this Burgundy winery.
In 2005, François Faiveley decided to hand over to his son Erwan. The latter was still a young man, 25, but his footprint on the life of the estate was soon to be felt. Especially since he surrounded himself quickly with a fine technician with both viticultural and enological skills: Jérôme Flous (arrived in 2007). The result: wines that have rarely been so radiant and precise. Until then the estate of Nuits-Saint-Georges used to suffer from its reputation of producing red wines austere in their early years. A style that deserved an aggiornamento. It's done. Since Eve, Erwan's sister, has also joined the family business (2014).
As all good Burgundian, they conducted parallel work in the vineyards and in the cellar. Tillage has been generalized and tasks reorganized so that the vine growers are in charge of a specific plot they follow throughout the year. Barrel aging has also been extensively reviewed with new suppliers. The woods used undergo long periods of drying in order to avoid any vegetable character to the wines.
It is in fact all the working tool that has been redesigned: the estate inaugurated, last year, a new winery on its historic site of Nuits-Saint-Georges. An 11-meter-high building in an Eiffel-style metal frame, with a high ogive glazed door. A beautiful architectural achievement, overlooking the vineyards of the appellation, but also an equipment any winegrower would dream of. It allows to work at maximum by gravity and to avoid the pumping of the wines.
Two years earlier, Faiveley also built a new winery on its historic site of Mercurey to vinify and age the 72 hectares farmed in Côte Chalonnaise (the family has been established there since 1933).
Tools to pamper the 120 hectares of the estate, from the north of the Côte de Nuits to the Côte Chalonnaise, including 12 hectares of Grands Crus and 27 of Premiers Crus. One of the most important estates in Burgundy, which has grown in the last ten years in beautiful terroirs with the takeover in 2013 of the Dupont-Tisserandot estate in Gevrey-Chambertin and the Monnot estate in Puligny-Montrachet (2008).
In 2014, Faiveley even penetrated Chablis by taking over the domain Billaud-Simon. Not less than 20 hectares of vineyards with four Grands Crus (Les Clos, Les Preuses, Vaudésir and Blanchots), four Premiers Crus (Montée de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu, Fourchaume and Vaillons). In short, the estate intends, more than ever, to play its role of locomotive of these different vineyards.
Laurent Gotti / Crédits photos : Serge Chapuis
Domaine Faiveley, Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015
Very nice distinguished nose, fine with a nice balance between woodiness and fruitiness. On the palate, rich and voluminous wine with an exceptional minerality. Unctuous, rich and persistent. Ageing: to drink – 2025.
Domaine Faiveley, Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2017
In the nose, very nice classy woody notes, spices, white pepper, fresh lemon and white flowers. A very intriguing touch of oregan. On the palate, very mineral and tasty, rich with distinction, deep, very mineral. Persistent and expressive.