Tatsed in Santenay with Antoine Olivier, 16 October 2015.
Domaine Antoine et Rachel Olivier
5 rue Gaudin
21590 Santenay, France
Tel: +33 (0)3 80 20 61 35
www.domaineolivier.fr
Antoine on 2015:
“Fortunately, 2015 volumes are more interesting, but in whites, not reds, which are less than 2014. It looks like with a good quality, though we will need to wait to see, but they are certainly looking very good. We harvested 4-12th September and the whites are already tasting very good. Just Savigny and Pommard were near 14 degrees, the rest were okay with 13-13.5. One cuvée was totally destemmed the rest between 50-100%! Zero pigeage, some cuvées are not so coloured, others are black.”
Antoine on 2014:
“In 2014, I’ve a preference for the whites, but the reds remain agreeable and easy, they taste very good, fresh and with croquant fruit. The acidity just a little lower than in 2013. A beau aesthetique – the maturity maybe wasn’t ideal. I prefer 2013 after all the problems in that vintage. It remains a classic vintage, certainly not ordinary, but maybe doesn’t deserve the highest ranking.”
Antoine on pricing of 2014s:
“Well, my 2012 & 2013s were not increased, so maybe a modest increase of 2-5%.”
The wines…
Clearly I was a little early in the cellar for many of these reds – it would have been much better to taste in December. However, the whites were on great form. Already lots to recommend here!
2014 A&R Olivier, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
A rather tight nose, slowly pretty red fresh and floral notes start to rise from the glass – nice. Round, supple, a good width and a little tannin here too. Some sweetness. More than decent bourgogne.
2014 A&R Olivier, Santenay Les Temps de C(e)Rises
Fresh, more incisive, pretty dark red fruit aromas. Bigger in the mouth, good fresh fruit flavour, more intensity, nicely long and very tasty fruit. Yum! Probably to bottle in March.
2014 A&R Olivier, Santenay Les Charmes
A much deeper fruit aromatic, darkly ripe and appealing. More gelée, a little more wood, (1 new from 5). Serious but with the material behind. Very good, but wait.
2014 A&R Olivier, Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Petits Liards
Only 15-20 hl/ha.
A higher toned, fresher, red fruit that’s faintly spicy. Very good width and energy, redder again, no gelée this time, a little late arriving tannin. Fresher and more complex.
2014 A&R Olivier, Santenay 1er Beaurepaire
Reduced. Gassy and a bit too early to taste. But the mouth-watering fruit in the finish is fine and clear to see. The last drops in the glass smell very fine with fresh, perfumed notes of violets.
2014 A&R Olivier, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Les Peuillets
Here is a fine, complex floral/fruity nose and right from the start too. Fresh, cushioned, good structure yet supple. A really good wine is awaiting…
2014 A&R Olivier, Pommard
80% sourced from Noizons.
Deep, weighty, a whole cluster type note of roses. Some gas, structured but richly fruited despite the freshness.
Les Blancs…
From Rully old vines. 18 month elevage in futs.
Big and round nose. Big and round in the mouth too. Ripe but fresh, really focusing down onto a nice line if flavour in the finish, mildly mouth-watering with just a suggestion of tannin in the finish. Excellent!
2014 A&R Olivier, Bourgogne Blanc Les Dindes
Fresh bright and attractive – slowly adding more aromatic depth. Just a bead of gas, but a round wine of concentration and a citric finishing width – rather a moreish wine.
2014 A&R Olivier, Rully Saint Jacques
Fresh, complex, a hint savoury in its depth – very attractive. Gas, plus a little reduction, but lithe and intense with good energy. Really excels in a great, slightly mineral finish – very yum here!
2014 A&R Olivier, Santenay Clos des Champs Carafe
Champs Carafe is a part of Les Bras. Les Bras is the ‘official’ lieux-dit with 2 subdivisions; Champs Carafe and Daumelles, Champs Carafe is the higher part.
Deeper, yellower, ripe nose. Again a little gas – a fresher more lithe wine with a little more fruit muscle and a hint of barrique too. Very tasty despite some obvious oak.
Wide and fresh – modest yet with a twist of mineral. Ouf! – a lovely, wide, mineral palate, that’s complex and mouth-watering. Even more-so in the finish. Really an enjoyable wine. Antoine notes that “this used to be my least favourite wine for a long tome with heaviness and nutty style, but after time working with bio the style has changed a lot, more mineral and fresh. Its changed much more than all my other cuvées.”
Spiced bread, très Meursault style to the nose – seemingly like every year. I use that as a compliment even though it’s not Meursault. Fine in the mouth with a little richness and weight, but lovely freshness. Tastes like a ‘M’ too, here is really excellent quality.