Sylvain Cathiard
About Sylvain Cathiard
Originating from Savoie and arriving in Burgundy to work with the imperious Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Domaine Lamarche, the Cathiard family possess one of the most impressive collective CVs in the world. It has, expectedly, forged its glorious reputation later when they started a winery themselves.
Currently at the helm is Sebastian Cathiard, the third generation of the family, who cultivates a mere 5.5 hectares of land spread over so many sites with none bigger than one hectare. For context, the largest cuvée Cathiard produces is the Bourgogne Rouge, which sees just over 2,000 bottles of production each year.
Because of the scarcity, the unmatched demand and the heavy allocation for top restaurants, his wines are, naturally, some of the hardest to acquire.
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Vinous (91-93)
(from 68-year-old vines featuring a high percentage of tiny millerande grapes): Good dark red with ruby tones. Black fruits, violet and strong oak notes of bitter chocolate and coffee. Fat, thick and powerful, with terrific depth of material and enough acid/tannin structure to give shape and freshness to the creamy middle. The blackberry and licorice flavors carry through on the long, rising finish.Inc. VAT£4,046.44 -
Vinous (92-94)
Darker and more explosive than the Aux Thorey, the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Aux Murgers is endowed with considerable depth and pure power. Smoke, tobacco, tar, new leather and French oak flow through to an enveloping, resonant finish. Readers will have to be patient with the 2012, as the tannins are quite massive, but there is a lot to look forward to here. The low yields and small berries of the year can be felt in the wine's breadth and pure volume.Inc. VAT£3,243.64 -
Vinous (92-94)
A very different side of Nuits St. Georges emerges from the 2013 Aux Murgers. Here it is the wine's broad, ample texture that stands out. Silky tannins wrap around the creamy finish in an expansive, generous Burgundy that is likely to provide readers will a long drinking window of pure pleasure.Inc. VAT£2,612.44 -
Vinous (93)
The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru is developing beautifully on the nose, perhaps shunning its nascent opulence and manifesting much more intriguing brambly black fruit, black truffle, iodine and seaweed scents. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, pliant tannins, dark berry fruit and a surprisingly structured, not austere but serious finish. Drinking beautifully now, this clearly has an evolution that will be fascinating to follow. Tasted at Maufoux in Chablis.Inc. VAT£2,944.84 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru, matured in 60% new oak, has an expressive bouquet of dark berry fruit infused with bay leaf and black tea, the terroir a little more articulated than the Aux Thorey at the moment. The palate is smooth and sensual on the entry, an equal mixture of red and black fruit, with a gentle grip on the lightly peppered finish. Excellent.Inc. VAT£2,721.64 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru has a slightly more reserved bouquet compared to the Aux Thorey, more red fruit here laced with violet and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied with powerful red fruit laced with white pepper and allspice, grippy and dense with a finish that fans out with confidence on the finish. This will need to be cellared.Inc. VAT£2,599.49 -
Tim Atkin MW (94)
The style is still evolving at this domaine since Sébastian Cathiard took over with the 2011 vintage, but some of the wines seem denser and more oaky in their youth. This is an impressive, even explosive Pinot, which will see less oak in 2013. The underlying fruit concentration is balanced by a breezy freshness on the finish.Inc. VAT£2,367.64 -
Wine Advocate (91-93)
The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, warm spices, licorice and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and an earthier, chewier profile than the Murgers this year—despite the finesse of its tannins.Inc. VAT£3,010.84 -
Vinous (89-91)
Black fruit, new leather, smoke and scorched earth burst from the glass in Cathiard's 2012 Nuits St. Georges. A deep, muscular wine, the 2012 impresses for its focus and compelling overall balance. I very much like the sense of energy, but imagine the 2012 will benefit from at least a few years in bottle. This is classic Nuits in its structure and energy.Inc. VAT£3,571.24 -
Vinous (89-91)
(two-thirds new oak; from 70-year-old vines in a parcel next to Vosne-Romanée): Good dark red. Crushed blackberry and blueberry aromas convey a sweet oak quality. Dense, sappy wine with intense dark fruit and spice flavors. The tannins are a bit aggressive today but there's plenty of buffering fruit. This seriously structured, persistent village wine has the structure for aging.Inc. VAT£1,563.64
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Vinous (91-93)
(from 68-year-old vines featuring a high percentage of tiny millerande grapes): Good dark red with ruby tones. Black fruits, violet and strong oak notes of bitter chocolate and coffee. Fat, thick and powerful, with terrific depth of material and enough acid/tannin structure to give shape and freshness to the creamy middle. The blackberry and licorice flavors carry through on the long, rising finish.In Bond£3,356.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
Darker and more explosive than the Aux Thorey, the 2012 Nuits St. Georges Aux Murgers is endowed with considerable depth and pure power. Smoke, tobacco, tar, new leather and French oak flow through to an enveloping, resonant finish. Readers will have to be patient with the 2012, as the tannins are quite massive, but there is a lot to look forward to here. The low yields and small berries of the year can be felt in the wine's breadth and pure volume.In Bond£2,687.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
A very different side of Nuits St. Georges emerges from the 2013 Aux Murgers. Here it is the wine's broad, ample texture that stands out. Silky tannins wrap around the creamy finish in an expansive, generous Burgundy that is likely to provide readers will a long drinking window of pure pleasure.In Bond£2,161.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2014 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru is developing beautifully on the nose, perhaps shunning its nascent opulence and manifesting much more intriguing brambly black fruit, black truffle, iodine and seaweed scents. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, pliant tannins, dark berry fruit and a surprisingly structured, not austere but serious finish. Drinking beautifully now, this clearly has an evolution that will be fascinating to follow. Tasted at Maufoux in Chablis.In Bond£2,438.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2017 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru, matured in 60% new oak, has an expressive bouquet of dark berry fruit infused with bay leaf and black tea, the terroir a little more articulated than the Aux Thorey at the moment. The palate is smooth and sensual on the entry, an equal mixture of red and black fruit, with a gentle grip on the lightly peppered finish. Excellent.In Bond£2,252.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Murgers 1er Cru has a slightly more reserved bouquet compared to the Aux Thorey, more red fruit here laced with violet and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied with powerful red fruit laced with white pepper and allspice, grippy and dense with a finish that fans out with confidence on the finish. This will need to be cellared.In Bond£2,147.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (94)
The style is still evolving at this domaine since Sébastian Cathiard took over with the 2011 vintage, but some of the wines seem denser and more oaky in their youth. This is an impressive, even explosive Pinot, which will see less oak in 2013. The underlying fruit concentration is balanced by a breezy freshness on the finish.In Bond£1,957.00 -
Wine Advocate (91-93)
The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, warm spices, licorice and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and an earthier, chewier profile than the Murgers this year—despite the finesse of its tannins.In Bond£2,493.00 -
Vinous (89-91)
Black fruit, new leather, smoke and scorched earth burst from the glass in Cathiard's 2012 Nuits St. Georges. A deep, muscular wine, the 2012 impresses for its focus and compelling overall balance. I very much like the sense of energy, but imagine the 2012 will benefit from at least a few years in bottle. This is classic Nuits in its structure and energy.In Bond£2,960.00 -
Vinous (89-91)
(two-thirds new oak; from 70-year-old vines in a parcel next to Vosne-Romanée): Good dark red. Crushed blackberry and blueberry aromas convey a sweet oak quality. Dense, sappy wine with intense dark fruit and spice flavors. The tannins are a bit aggressive today but there's plenty of buffering fruit. This seriously structured, persistent village wine has the structure for aging.In Bond£1,287.00