Burgundy 2016 – D

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See the full guide to our coverage of Burgundy's 2016 vintage. 

DOMAINE DANIEL DAMPT, Chablis
RH: Better value in the premiers crus.

Dom Daniel Dampt, Les Lys Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Lovely lime and yoghurt flavours – classic and concentrated with lingering dairy character on the finish. Very nicely done – delivers all the Chablis style with a touch of stony character too. (RH)

Drink
2018
2026
£162 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17

Dom Daniel Dampt, Côte de Léchet Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Sweeter fruit than their Les Lys, and perhaps not quite as precise as a result. Fleshy and rich with a long, perfumed finish. A good example of fuller Chablis. (RH)

Drink
2019
2024
£168 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17

Dom Daniel Dampt, Fourchaume Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

More restrained than their Les Lys and Côte de Léchet, with a restrained lemon and apple fruit and a finish that emphasises flinty flavours over fruit. (RH)

Drink
2019
2026
£174 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
16.5

Maison Dampt, Bougros 2016 Chablis Grand Cru

Fairly closed nose, but the palate has rich tropical fruit and full body. No oak influence, but a tasty dairy character on the finish. Not as overt as many grands crus can be, but should age well. (RH)

Drink
2020
2030
£360 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17 +

DOMAINE SÉBASTIEN DAMPT, Chablis

Dom Sébastien Dampt 2016 Chablis

Bottled. Finely dusty citrus. Bone dry and chalky, classic, with a nice chalky texture on the finish. Mouth-watering and tight but not terribly concentrated. (JH)

Drink
2018
2021
£85 per case of 6 ib Armit Wines
15.5

Dom Sébastien Dampt, Vaillons Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

60-year-old vines, east-facing. Bottled.
Smells a little richer and riper on the nose than the Lys. Cedary lime and green fruits plus all that benchmark Chablis dusty/stony character. Intense citrus fruit, severe in its freshness but balanced by the greater fruit depth here. Creamy aftertaste. (JH)

Drink
2021
2028
£97.50 per case of 6 ib Armit Wines
16.5

Dom Sébastien Dampt, Beugnons Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

‘Right bank and thus a little more opulent', says Dampt. Fermented in a 16-hl concrete egg, which gives some oxygenation and natural equivalent of bâtonnage thanks to the shape. Bottled.
There's definitely a more chewy texture here, a breadth in the mouth, in addition to the precision of citrus fruit. Tight, mouth-watering but balanced by that texture. Very long. (JH)

Drink
2022
2030
£110 per case of 6 ib Armit Wines
17

Dom Sébastien Dampt, Fourchaume Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

‘Right bank and thus a little more opulent', explains Dampt. Bottled.
Complex aroma that intertwines dusty Chablis character, lemon and apple fruit and a sense of precision, which is evident on the palate. There's a creaminess too and a savoury/mealy lees richness. Fuller in the mouth than the Vaillons. (JH)

Drink
2021
2028
16.5

DOMAINE VINCENT DAMPT, Chablis

Dom Vincent Dampt, Vaillons Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Unoaked, bottled. Intense cedar-citrus aroma and a fine dusty/mineral edge. Lovely chalky texture and excellent freshness. Taut, pure and mouth-watering length and just a slight grainy texture on the finish, which increases the length. GV (JH)

Drink
2019
2029
£215 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

Dom Vincent Dampt, Les Lys Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Unoaked, bottled. This smells a little more creamy/leesy than the Vaillons but still with cedary freshness and citrus fruit. One of those wines that is such a pleasure to inhale that you almost don't want to put it in your mouth. Fuller and deeper in the mouth too with that richer, broader texture, but still supremely fresh and zesty. Very long. (JH)

Drink
2020
2029
£215 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17

Dom Vincent Dampt, Côte de Léchet Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Unoaked, bottled. Lost half their crop here – the lower part of the vineyard was totally frosted.
Lovely fruit here, lemon and clementine. Less herbal but still a fine stony quality. Taut and precise on the palate. More austere than I expected after the aroma but all in balance. Perhaps a little less intensity than the Lys? (JH)

Drink
2019
2028
£215 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

Dom Vincent Dampt, Côte de Léchet 350 Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

An experiment for first time in this vintage, fermented in 350-litre barrels (hence the name), none new. No bâtonnage, bottled. Fermentation took three months (2017s still fermenting mid January). Barrels were two years old and from his friend Marc Bachelet.
Gentle oak notes – spice and sweet lemon. A touch of creamy oatmeal but it does not cover the fine, citrus freshness. Deep, creamy and still wonderfully fresh and full of energy. Persistent and pure even with the complexity of the oak. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£295 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17 +

Dom Vincent Dampt, Bougros 2016 Chablis Grand Cru

Fermented in 228-litre barrels, none new. No bâtonnage. Bottled.
Smells rich, spicy and creamy and it is really powerful on the palate. More spice and more obvious oak than in the Côte de Léchet 350. Direct and piercing but quite muscular around that framework. A powerful wine without loss of finesse or freshness. (JH)

Drink
2023
2033
£445 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17.5

DOMAINE HENRI DARNAT, Meursault

Dom Henri Darnat, Clos du Domaine 2016 Meursault

Refined peppery nose, delicate and distinctive. Nicely chalky. Then on the palate a lovely blend of creamy generosity and tight citrus. Elegance and a long though delicate finish. (JH)

Drink
2020
2028
£334 per case of 12 ib Montrachet Fine Wine Merchants
17

Dom Henri Darnat 2016 Puligny-Montrachet

This smells a little riper than the Meursault Clos du Domaine. Really sweet lemon fruit with a light note of oatmeal from the oak. Almost chewy in texture but rounded and with a savoury quality on the back palate adding complexity. Impressive depth and length. (JH)

Drink
2020
2028
£384 per case of 12 ib Montrachet Fine Wine Merchants
17

Dom Henri Darnat 2016 Puligny-Montrachet

Bought-in fruit but he does not distinguish on the label – he’s been buying from this vineyard for many years. Bottled.
More creamy and mealy (oak?) on the nose than the Meursault Clos Richemont. Precise herby citrus. Tight, finely spiced and a lovely dry texture giving a gripping but attractive, chalky finish. Very good. (JH)

Drink
2019
2026
£425 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17

Dom Henri Darnat, Les Cras Clos Richemont Premier Cru 2016 Meursault

Monopole. More cedar here, perhaps more new oak? More savoury. Gorgeous combination of very crisp lemon and grapefruit and that full-bodied lees texture that spreads across the palate. Mouth-wateringly fresh but satisfyingly deep at the same time. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£494 per case of 12 ib Montrachet Fine Wine Merchants
17.5

Dom Henri Darnat, Les Cras Clos Richemont Premier Cru 2016 Meursault

Monopole. Bottled. On the Volnay side.
Strongly stony/mineral nose, almost a Chablis-esque dustiness. On the palate, a creamy citrus depth and breadth so you know you are not in Chablis. Refined and persistent, an almost salty freshness on the finish, making you want the next sip. (JH)

Drink
2019
2030
£495 per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17

DOMAINE DARVIOT-PERRIN, Monthelie

Dom Darviot-Perrin, Genevrières Premier Cru 2016 Meursault

Cask sample. The most expressive and open of the whites tasted so far at the Howard Ripley tasting, though it should still age well. Lovely creamy oak/lees richness round bright citrus. The merest hint of struck match but mostly it’s cool, creamy citrus with a long, bone-dry finish. (JH)

Drink
2019
2025
£486 per case of 6 ib Howard Ripley
16.5

Dom Darviot-Perrin, Perrières Premier Cru 2016 Meursault

Tank sample. There's a sweetness to the citrus here that verges on almost-ripe apricot but there's also a counterpoint of savoury oak. Super-fresh, leesy/creamy texture and overall a nice, stony, dry finish. Smart wine, persistent too. (JH)

Drink
2020
2026
£560 per case of 6 ib Armit Wines
17

Dom Darviot-Perrin, Les Bondues Premier Cru 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet

Tank sample. Mid crimson. Aroma of dark-red fruit and crushed herbs. Just a little bit herbal, though I don't know if there is any whole bunch here. It's relatively light on the palate but well balanced with moderate length. Tannins build on the finish and are in proportion to the fruit. (JH)

Drink
2020
2028
£215 per case of 6 ib Armit Wines
16

Dom Darviot-Perrin, Santenots Premier Cru 2016 Volnay

Cask sample. Mid cherry red. Lightly peppery, dark-red fruit. Pure, fresh with a nice stony/mineral note adding freshness. Succulent and pretty on the palate but great presence in the mouth without weight. Delicious in a subtle, refined style, the tannins super-fine too. (JH)

Drink
2020
2028
£282 per case of 6 ib Howard Ripley
16.5

DECELLE-VILLA, Nuits-St-Georges
RH: Some especially canny buys from lesser appellations.

Decelle-Villa 2016 Chorey-lès-Beaune

Cask sample. Bright black fruit with very modern clarity and juiciness. Savoury, traditional structure but modern, progressive fruit. Quite contrasting, but it works, and offers something to drink now or keep. (RH)

Drink
2019
2031
£229 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17

Decelle-Villa, Les Longeroies 2016 Marsannay

Cask sample. Wonderful fragrance which surpasses the expectation of most Marsanny – in fact, this has a style more like Chambolle or Vosne. Rich fruit and great concentration. There’s prominent oak spice too, which shows on the finish especially. GV (RH)

Drink
2020
2030
£235 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17

Decelle-Villa 2016 Côte de Nuits-Villages

Cask sample. Not as expressive as their Marsannay Longeroies, though there is still plenty of well-formed red cherry fruit on the nose and palate. Friable tannin, brisk acidity. (RH)

Drink
2019
2029
£250 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
16.5

Decelle-Villa, Les Teurons Premier Cru 2016 Beaune

Cask sample. Tight, restrained fruit on the palate – the picture of austerity. Furry texture and fairly light body. I think their Marsannay is the smarter buy right now, but this should improve assuming its belt is loosened with time in bottle. (RH)

Drink
2022
2036
£348.50 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17

Decelle-Villa, Aux Bousselots Premier Cru 2016 Nuits-St-Georges

Cask sample. Dark fruit with a Morello-cherry character, plus a touch of varnish and menthol on the palate. Finely ground tannins, plentiful concentration and good length. Has a sense of waiting to burst forth with a few years' ageing. (RH)

Drink
2021
2041
£545 per case of 12 ib Haynes Hanson & Clark
17.5 +

JEAN-YVES DEVEVEY, Demigny 

Jean-Yves Devevey, La Chaume 2016 Rully

Barrel sample. Deep greenish yellow. Quite a funky nose, bordering, by no means unpleasantly, on cidery. I like this wine! Lots of personality and depth with real minerally interest and good fruit/acid balance. Masses of personality. Long. (JR)

13.5%
Drink
2018
2024
£180 per case of 12 ib Berry Bros & Rudd
17 -

Jean-Yves Devevey, La Chaume 2016 Rully

Barrel sample. Bright crimson. Fairly light and spicy but a bit marked by oak at the moment. Hint of mousiness. Then pinched on the end. Dead natural at the moment, I’d say. Not for me. (JR)

13.5%
Drink
2020
2022
£168 per case of 12 ib Berry Bros & Rudd
15.5

DOMAINE DE LA DOUAIX, Arcenant
RH: Dependable and enjoyable burgundies in a traditional style.

Dom de la Douaix 2016 Bourgogne

Pungent nose with a strong varnish and herbal element which is certainly characterful but doesn't seem entirely ripe. The balance is correct though, so perhaps this is a deliberate style? Much more flavour range than the average Bourgogne, for sure. (RH)

Drink
2018
2022
£150 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman
16

Dom de la Douaix, Vieilles Vignes 2016 Côte de Nuits-Villages

Cask sample. Greater concentration of fruit than their Terres Nobles, but less expression of perfume. The palate has reassuringly full concentration and tannic grip to suggest good development of complexity in future. (RH)

Drink
2020
2040
£225 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman
17 +
 

DOMAINE JEAN-PAUL DROIN, Chablis 
JR: Unusually varied styles of wine were made in 2016. 

Jean-Paul et Benoît Droin, Vaillons Premier Cru 2016 Chablis

Bottled. Dusty but quite tart and intense citrus aroma, almost more lime than lemon. Creamy texture subdues the crisp citrus. Overall a lovely balance of mineral/stony and tangy fruit, with impressive concentration. (JH)

Drink
2019
2026
£126 per case of 6 ib Lay & Wheeler
16.5

Jean-Paul et Benoît Droin, Valmur 2016 Chablis Grand Cru

Bottled. Intense again and tangy but a light herbal edge to the citrus here as well as that stony minerality. Impressive intensity and length allied to perfect freshness. Impressive, benchmark Chablis grand cru. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£262 per case of 6 ib Lay & Wheeler
17
 

DOMAINE JOSEPH DROUHIN, Beaune including JOSEPH DROUHIN, DOMAINE DROUHIN VAUDON, HOSPICES DE BELLEVILLE and MARQUIS DE LAGUICHE
JR...