Cathiard, Hautes Côtes de Nuits - an Appellation on the up
This is an impressive set of wines from Cathiard.
Neal Martin, vinous.com, January 2025
2023 Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard
£255 per 6 bottle case in bond
2023 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard
£150 per 6 bottle case in bond
Or buy a case of each for a total of £330/12 (18.5% off)
What do you think when a great Burgundian domaine starts producing wines from outlying appellations, or even launches a new Bourgogne Aligoté? Is your immediate response that they are leveraging their brand? Or do you think they have recognised an opportunity to produce more affordable wines, with the same skill and dedication that is expended on their core wines? These are interesting questions.
In the last few years, various estates have started producing from the Hautes Côte de Nuits, an appellation, which lies to the west of the famous villages of the northern section of Burgundy, at a slightly higher altitude. At these higher elevations, climatic conditions are that touch cooler, and the resultant wines present with fine freshness and are generally lighter-bodied. Producers like Anne Gros had championed the Hautes Côte de Nuits many, many years previously, but now, with warmer and drier summers in Burgundy becoming the norm, more and more growers are acquiring less expensive vineyard land to explore the potential.
As regards Aligoté (pronounced ah-lee-go-tay), we have seen a number of growers release examples of Burgundy’s second white grape variety, sometimes at exorbitant prices. Domaine Leroy’s Aligoté has calmed down a touch but it remains at around £200 per bottle, which is quite incredible for a variety that has a lower quality ceiling than Chardonnay. Aligoté can provide interesting drinking as it offers a bright acidity, lighter body and displays characters of citrus, green apple fruit nuance, occasionally even floral notes – the zippy limey-ness of the variety makes it attractive in its youth. It is well suited to being grown in cooler sites and finds its true home in Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise, south of Burgundy proper. There are some utterly disastrous Aligoté produced from high yields and without attentive winemaking, but in the right hands and from the right location, it can offer more than a simple level of complexity.
Sebastien Cathiard took over the complete running of Domaine Sylvain Cathiard in 2011 when his father retired. Since then he has continued to cultivate their cherished vineyards in Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny and Nuits-Saint-Georges, producing great wines of unerring quality, but perhaps the boldest move he has yet made is to venture into the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, from where his first released vintage was 2019 for Aux Chaumes and Les Dames Huguette. In 2021 he added this third ‘village’ Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, which comes from a number of parcels in Villers-la-Faye, in the southern part of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, above Prémeaux-Prissey, and the village in which Sebastien and his young family actually live. Two-thirds of the vines were planted over 50 years ago, the balance in 2000.
His Aligoté comes from two sites in the Côte de Nuits, the main source being 30-80 year old vines, also in Villers-la-Faye, but with a small portion coming from a younger, tiny parcel in Nuits-Saint-Georges that supplements the blend. Both vineyards lie on deep clay soils, which contributes to the structure in minerality. Equally, the age of the vines brings depth and complexity, with the vines offering a lower yield.
You could think that Sebastien could have leveraged his brand and offered these wines at more dramatic prices, as others have done. But no, both these wines from his home village, the Aligoté and the Hautes Côtes de Nuits remain crazily affordable.
Having just shipped the 2023s, we thought we would take a look and see how they were showing. They didn’t disappoint – Sebastien is letting the wines do the talking and is far from pushing prices for sheer financial gain. Please see my notes below.
Both wines are available for immediate delivery.
Buy a case of each for a total of £330/12 bottles in bond. (The discount will be applied at check-out.)
2023 Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard
£255 per 6 bottle case in bond
The brightness of fruit in this HCN is really attractive, with fragrant notes of soft berry fruit – strawberry to the fore. There is a distinctive mineral quality that underscores the palate and elevates this above the more ample Bourgogne Rouge in quality. It is lighter, very juicy with a bright and breezy feel. This has developed well with just a little time in bottle to show a little more tautness and definition to the finish. It showcases that lightness of touch that is typically HCN, yet with a more fleshed out, rounded mid-palate. It doesn’t feel like a sin to be broaching this now, but it should be in its prime with a couple more years of cellarage. Given this is Sebastien’s entry wine from this appellation, it is easy to see the potential that drew him to this project in the first place. (SL) Drink now to 2032
2023 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard
£150 per 6 bottle case in bond
The aromas are fresh, pure with juicy green apple and pear. On the palate, there is a gentle oily texture and a tangy nature to the fruit, that captures a mouthwatering touch of lemon and lime. There is a hint of toasted nut that adds a touch of complexity as well as herbal nuance. This bright, open Aligoté may not be a wine to wax lyrical about for sentence after sentence, but it has good depth, fine purity and offers excellent early drinking value. A mouthwatering Aligoté. (SL) Drink now to 2029
If you think Burgundy has become expensive, perhaps you need to consider wines from different appellations. An increasing group of growers have faith in these vineyards. In these two wines we can see why. Maybe you should try them yourself?
They are both available for immediate delivery.
Simon
simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com