The Rare and Beautiful 2016s of Sylvie Esmonin

3/14/19 -

Our small allocation of 2016s from Sylvie Esmonin has just arrived and while quantities are proscribed due to the historic frost and the subsequent two months of near-constant rain and attendant disease pressure, we're excited by the bright aromatics, fruit purity, and terroir specificity of the vintage. During our visits to the estate many years ago, the importance of plowing and good farming to create deep root systems was emphasized frequently, especially in a vintage like 2003 when her vines suffered less than others from the heat and dryness. Though not certified organic, the use of herbicides was stopped in 1990 which led to cutting out systemic fungicides and pesticides as well. This was a change from her father's methods as was the use of whole-clusters in fermentation, approximately 70% in the Gevrey VV and Clos St. Jacques, which came from tasting old wines and wines from DRC that were vinified without de-stemming. "So I tried it for myself, and I think you really gain more complexity, specifically floral aromas." Sylvie feels that the current use of total de-stemming and cold macerations blurs the distinction between wines by exaggerating a one-dimensional fruitiness. More controversial, perhaps, is the estate's use of a high percentage of new oak. Sylvie feels, however, that the quality and type of oak she uses does not mark the wine excessively and that a ripe vintage, especially, necessitates its use. The quality of the vineyard work, the age of the vineyards, the use of whole clusters and the judicious use of new oak at Domaine Esmonin create distinctive and substantial Burgundies. The 2016s are unique and delicious wines that show the success of the estate's philosophies, in their complexity and elegance and their certain ability to age beautifully - we encourage you to put a few in your cellar...