Domaine Faiveley - Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Les Dames Huguettes 2012

With 120 hectares—70 of which are in the Côte Chalonnaise—and one of Burgundy’s most beautiful cellars in Nuits-Saint-Georges, along with recent expansions such as the lease of the Zibetti estate and the acquisition of the Dupont-Tisserand and Billaud-Simon estates, Faiveley is more than ever becoming an indispensable ambassador for the great wines of Burgundy around the world. And we are delighted that this is not at the expense of the high standards of quality and style across all appellations and price points. The focus on vineyard work is paying off; the estate’s wines showcase the integrity and precision of expression in each cuvée, whether white or red. The 2017 vintage is once again a success and shows great consistency.

Founded in Nuits-Saint-Georges in 1825, this estate has been a leading name in Burgundy for seven generations. Erwan Faiveley has been at the helm since 2005, having succeeded his father, François. Today, it is one of the largest vineyard owners in Burgundy: 120 hectares stretching from the northern part of the Côte de Nuits to the southern part of the Côte Chalonnaise, including 10 hectares of Grand Cru and nearly 25 hectares of Premier Cru.

With the help of his technical director, Jérôme Flous, Erwan Faiveley took over from his father in early 2005 and has since been quietly revolutionizing this vast estate with its exceptional vineyard heritage, which has expanded in recent years. The style of the wines has subtly evolved: solidly structured around a dense body and less austere than in the past, they showcase a clear fruit character that now expresses itself earlier. While the oak notes used to be somewhat green, they now take on toasted flavors. Thanks to improved ripeness, the grapes have tended to integrate better over the past few vintages. The wines as a whole—particularly the reds—have made significant progress. A spectacular new winemaking facility was used for the first time for the 2018 harvest. This estate has successfully developed its wines with precision and intelligence.