France · Burgundy

Sylvie Esmonin

Sylvie Esmonin is a small Gevrey-Chambertin domaine whose reputation rests almost entirely on a single premier cru: Clos Saint-Jacques, one of the most celebrated and historically consistent premier cru vineyards in all of Burgundy. The Esmonin family farmed Clos Saint-Jacques for decades before Sylvie Esmonin took over management in the 1990s, and the parcel — located above the village on a well-exposed southwest-facing slope below the grand cru Ruchottes-Chambertin — produces wines that regularly challenge grand cru quality at premier cru prices. The clos is shared among a small number of producers including Bruno Clair, Fourrier, Rossignol-Trapet, and Louis Jadot, each producing recognized expressions of the 6.7-hectare site. Esmonin's version, made in approximately 500–700 cases annually, is distinguished by old-vine intensity (vines averaging 60+ years), minimal new oak, and long élevage. At auction, 114 lots average $180 per bottle — consistent with the premier cru's reputation and Esmonin's modest production — with top results for 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2019 vintages at $200–$350. Critical scores are regularly 93–97 points from Burghound and Wine Advocate. Esmonin also produces village Gevrey-Chambertin, but the domaine's secondary-market identity is defined almost exclusively by this single, extraordinary premier cru. The estate applies no filtration to its Clos Saint-Jacques, allowing the wine's full range of flavor compounds and tannin texture to develop naturally in bottle over the 10–15 year minimum recommended cellaring window.