Sylvain Cathiard’s grandfather, a foundling from Savoie, came to Burgundy and found work with Domaine de la Romanée Conti (DRC) and Lamarche, subsequently buying a few parcels of vineyards for himself. His son André Cathiard began to bottle some of the crop.
In due course Sylvain began work with his father but then separated to start his own small domaine, until on his father’s retirement in 1995, Sylvain could take back the family vineyards on a renting agreement. He has now been joined by his son Sébastien.
The Cathiards have 5.5 hectares of vineyards in Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-St-Georges and Chambolle-Musigny, including tiny holdings in Clos de Vougeot and Romanée-St-Vivant. A recent addition (from 2006) to the range is the Nuits-St-Georges Aux Thorey.
95 Points Allen Meadows
A cool, pure, airy and restrained nose combines a really lovely spiciness with overtly floral notes on the aromas of black raspberry, wild strawberry and exotic Asian tea. The super-sleek and utterly delicious middle weight flavors offer excellent power and drive while displaying outstanding length on the intensely saline-inflected and youthfully austere and exceptionally firm finish. This robust effort is not a monster of concentration, but I really like the balance.
94-96 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The most reserved premier cru in the cellar is, as usual, the 2018 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts. Opening in the glass with scents of dark berry fruit, plums, exotic spices, dark chocolate, smoked meats and burning embers, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and muscular, displaying exquisite structural refinement and superb concentration, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. There are 16 barrels this year.