He died in 2006. You are correct, his last vintage was 2001, but I thought he continued working with Rouget till the end, no?
Here’s my report on them, FWIW:
One of a new breed of micronegociant, Olivier Bernstein began making wines in Burgundy in 2007. He focuses on making tiny quantities of wine from premier and grand cru vineyards.
He has a musical background: his father founded a music publishing house. But Olivier established his own career in what his website describes as ‘international management’, only to leave this for the lure of making wine.
His first foray into winemaking was in Tautavel in the Roussillon, in 2002, when he purchased 8 hectares of vines. But Burgundy was in his blood—he was inspired by a short spell working with the late Henri Jayer, and five years later was to take the plunge and start out in his favourite region.
Actually buying vines is pretty much out of the question for newcomers, but it is possible to buy grapes and wines. It is not easy sourcing quality grapes from the great vineyards of Burgundy, but they can be had if you are prepared to pay enough and if you know the right people. Bernstein’s business model is clearly to aim at the very top, and he manages the vineyard blocks he purchases from, and then makes the wine in a non-interventionist way, although new barrels are used for all (although the élévage is relatively short).
33 barrels were made in 2007; in 2008 this was upped to 50.
I tasted through these wines from Bernstein’s inaugural vintage, and I have to say that I wasn’t as impressed as I should have been. Almost everything is right: the packaging, the story, the vineyard sources. But the wines didn’t charm or thrill in the way that great Burgundy can, with the exception of the Charmes Chambertin. I’d have loved to have liked these wines more, and it would certainly be more comfortable for me if I could (everyone else seems to have heaped effusive, almost reverent praise on them, and they have sold out).
The wines are available from Berry Bros & Rudd, and prices given are per six-pack, in bond.
Olivier Bernstein Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes 2007
Very distinctive, almost minty nose, which is nutty and toasty with a hint of minerality. The palate is fresh and dense with a slightly minty iodine-like quality. Very unusual. 89/100 (£312)
Olivier Bernstein Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Lavrottes 2007
Lovely aromatic nose: cherries, herbs, hint of mint. The palate is fresh and pure with lovely cherry fruit bolstered by some minty notes. 89/100 (£276)
Olivier Bernstein Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champeaux 2007
Sweet herby cherry fruit nose is pure and sleek. The palate has some herbal, spicy complexity to the well structured yet pure cherry fruit. 91/100 (£312)
Olivier Bernstein Vosné Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots 2007
Sweet, spicy vanilla oak on the nose as well as some pure red berry and cherry fruit. Dense, spicy, structured palate with lovely fresh, pure cherry fruit. Finishes spicy. 91/100 (£350)
Olivier Bernstein Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2007
This is very stylish. Focused, sweet pure red berry/cherry fruit nose with some spicy, complex herby notes. The palate has ripeness, sweet pure cherry fruit and lovely depth and structure, with sophisticated oak playing a supporting role. 93/100 (540)
Olivier Bernstein Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2007
Taut, spicy, herbal nose with some roasted oak notes. The palate shows dense, quite pretty pure dark cherry fruit with a savoury edge and a minty finish. 91/100 (£594)
Olivier Bernstein Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2007
Slight baked roasted dark cherry fruit nose. The palate is concentrated, dense and savoury with slightly bitter plummy fruit. Structured and firm with a bitter finish. 89/100 (£660)
Ian – He was in poor health the last few years and also I’m told that at the end, he wasn’t on very good terms with Rouget. So I think, rather not.
Wow, those BBR prices, while high, are way below the US prices.
The dollar really sucks these days.
Does he really bottle by hand? If so, I would be really worried about aging these wines due to the variation that takes place when hand bottling…
$ is about $1.625 vs. the pound today, so using $1.63:
Bonnes-Mares is $179 from BBR, $249 from BP Wine, who tells us the price really should be $300
Clos de la Roche is $161 from BBR, $249 from BP Wine, who tells us the price really should be $300
Charmes-Chambertin is $147 from BBR, $249 from BP Wine, who tells us the price really should be $300
Vosne-Suchots is $95 from BBR, $135 from BP Wine
Gevrey-Champeaux is $85 from BBR, $135 from BP Wine
Chambolle-Lavrottes is $75 from BBR, $109 from BP Wine
The Puligny-Champ Gain is $85 from BBR, $125 from BP Wine.
It almost looks like BP Wine is buying retail from BBR and then reselling here. BBR prices are not completely out of line for those appellations in today’s market, but someone is making a huge amount somewhere on the BP Wine offering.
Note that until a few vintages ago, Faiveley bottled its grands crus and top premiers crus by hand.
BP claims to be a direct distributor so I guess they are the ones looking to make a fat profit margin.
250 bonez? It’s a pazz.
And Dominique Laurent I think claims to bottle the whole range by hand.
Kevin Mohalley of Knightsbridge, who has a superb palate, is a believer in Bernstein’s wines. The two times I tasted them, however, were both blind and I embarrassed myself on both occasions by stating that they were new world pinots. (At least I get consistency points.) They are big juicy, oaky representations. Kevin tells me that when they age, they will integrate, the oak will diminish and they will be spectacular–that the ingredients for greatness are all there. Does anybody have experience with how Jayer’s wines presented when young.
I don’t know who Kevin is and haven’t had these wines. However, a comment like that should push your bullshit detector into the red zone. I would have asked (i) on what informed basis can he draw any conclusions about how they will age and (ii) what, exactly, is an “ingredient for greatness.”
Claude – Are you working off the in-bond prices? If so, the differential between the US and the actual UK retail price would be narrowed by the 15% VAT. But you’re right – it does look like BP could be buying from Berry Bros. at retail in bond and still be making a nice spread.
I’m working of the prices Jamie gave, which are IB. But one almost always uses IB prices to compare with US because our taxes are much lower. Moreover, if BP, or anyone else here, were buying from BBR, they would be buying IB.
That’s a fair point if you’re comparing the sellers’ mark-ups. I was just thinking of the price you would pay at retail in the UK for consumption there, and when you add in VAT the BBR price would be closer to the US price.
Keith: Boy… this is a tough board. 
Those were my words, not Kevin’s. I synthesized inartfully a much longer conversation. Bernstein’s wines had structure, gobs of fruit, acidity and a great deal of wood. Those were the elements about which I wrote. I still wonder whether anybody here has experience tasting Jayer’s wines young. Those I have had the privilege to drink, were ready to drink.
My point was the markups that someone, apparently BP Wine, is taking because normally prices between UK and US are fairly competitive. (And BP is telling you what a deal you’re getting from them, only $249 instead of $300 for the grands crus, and the Chambolle-Lavrottes is a “steal” at $109. They’re being so generous to their customers. Merry Christmas!)
Also, you’d pay sales tax here, which is not reflected in the price, unless you’re in a state like OR that has none. And even ignoring that, the differences in price remain fairly significant. Also, right now, I believe that there is a lower VAT in the UK to try to stimulate the economy.