BURGUNDY WINE PRODUCERS
From Meursault legends to Beaujolais pioneers. 30+ producers defining Burgundy today.
For broader regional context, see our guide to French wine regions.
CÔTE DE BEAUNE
Domaine Simon Bize & Fils
Savigny-lès-Beaune | Côte de Beaune | Biodynamic
Bize stands among Burgundy's most compelling arguments for terroir over appellation prestige. The domaine built its reputation through Savigny-lès-Beaune long before acquiring grands crus, demonstrating that excellence thriFor more on the crus and terroirs of this region, see our complete guide to Beaujolais.beaves in the Côte d'Or's less glamorous corners. Under Chisa Bize's stewardship since 2013, these wines rank among the region's most pristine offerings.
Chisa's path to Burgundy was improbable. A Japanese-born banker, she arrived in 1993, married Patrick Bize, and found herself leading the domaine after his untimely death two decades later. Her "outsider's view," informed by brief studies with Anne-Claude Leflaive, has shaped a distinctive evolution: "Respecting tradition is vital, but simultaneously, we embrace new sensibilities, marrying both worlds."
The vineyard management has transitioned decisively to biodynamics, incorporating Fukuoka-inspired minimalist techniques. Winemaking shows similar restraint: limited cold soaks on reds despite increased whole-cluster use, virtually no new oak for reds, and maximum 30 percent for select whites.
The estate has also nurtured talent that launched notable projects including Chanterêves and Le Grappin.
The wines
Though their Corton-Charlemagne and ethereal Latricières-Chambertin command attention, Bize's philosophy shines through entry-level offerings. The Bourgogne Rouge and two site-specific Bourgogne Blancs (Les Perrières and Les Champlains, the latter containing pinot gris) offer immediate access to the house style.
The village Savigny Blanc delivers breadth with precise acidity and curry-leaf aromatics, reminiscent of a scaled-down Corton-Charlemagne. Their 1970s-vine Savigny Rouge provides textbook village expression.
The single-parcel reds showcase Savigny's remarkable diversity. River-adjacent Savigny Les Bourgeots offers ruby-hued, iris-scented profiles. Savigny Aux Grands Liards from clay-rich opposite riverbanks presents darker, earthier character. Savigny Aux Guettes from 1965 plantings interweaves rose petal and spice. Savigny Aux Fourneaux and Aux Vergelesses from Corton's lower slopes deliver truffle-inflected autumnal complexity. Nearby, Aloxe Les Suchots demonstrates how exceptional quality lurks in underappreciated terroirs.
Contemporary cuvées
Chisa has introduced modern interpretations honouring both regional natural winemaking and her Japanese heritage. Atatcha pushes boundaries with skin-macerated, unsulphured pinot gris: a distinctive orange wine defined by roasted citrus and umami-rich seaweed notes. Shirokuro offers counterpoint as a blanc de noirs from Les Bourgeots, suggesting red fruits while dwelling primarily in floral territory. Aka, sourced from Les Bourgeots and Les Planchots, delivers traditional Savigny character without sulphur. Shiro, a white from Les Planchots and Godeliettes, demonstrates how minimal intervention harmonises with regional tradition.
Domaine Y. Clerget
Volnay | Côte de Beaune | Organic Principles
Thibaud Clerget represents the return of one of Volnay's oldest families to the front rank of Burgundy producers. The Clergets have been in Volnay since 1268, making this among the region's longest lineages, though quality slipped during the 1990s and wines briefly disappeared after his father Yvon retired in 2009, with grapes sold to Henri Boillot.
After studies at Beaune and apprenticeships at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon and in New Zealand, Thibaud resumed family work in 2015 at twenty-three. His talents were evident immediately, with early vintages establishing him as one of the region's new stars: a fitting return for a stalwart Volnay name in a village that needed new blood.
The wines tend toward sleek and fruit-focused: about 50 percent whole cluster in top wines but otherwise destemmed, with a mix of punch-downs and pump-overs, and ten to sixteen months in barrels for a concentrated but not heavy style.
The wines
Even the Bourgogne Rouge, from a parcel near the D974 between Volnay and Meursault, has focused huckleberry fruit and dark mineral. The village Volnay, from two parcels low on the slope, is a perfect appellation snapshot: precise, flowery in its aromas, just fleshy enough.
The Volnay premier cru series includes monopole Clos du Verseuil near Bousse d'Or, showing iron and blood orange amid its floral side. Carelle sous la Chapelle comes from just below Bousse d'Or. Les Santenots is dense with chicory notes. Caillerets offers iodine from old vines. Champans is wound-up with ginger edges.
Pommard Les Rugiens presents subtle crushed violet: a very Volnay take on that village. Clos de Vougeot from the family's 0.3 hectare in Grand Maupertui is wonderfully subtle and musky.
One white, Meursault Les Chevalières from just over the Volnay border, is precise and saline with more concentrated fruit than the super-narrow style now in fashion.
Vincent Dancer
Chassagne-Montrachet | Côte de Beaune | Certified Organic
Vincent Dancer became the first producer in Chassagne-Montrachet to gain organic certification, and has since found a unique position between natural wine enthusiasts and the traditional collectors who embrace his prestigious appellations. His wines appear equally in Michelin-starred restaurants and the néobistro depths of eastern Paris.
Originally from Alsace, Dancer eventually took over family land to build a 5-hectare estate. In the winery: no additives beyond sulphur, no lees stirring, no fining, no filtering, and long ageing (around eighteen months) followed by another six months in steel. Depending on perspective, this represents either deep minimalism or simply the way of good Côte de Beaune vinification today.
The wines
The range is predominantly white. Village Chassagne-Montrachet delivers the appellation's quintessential smoky crunch. Chassagne La Romanée, from a little-known climat high near the Chassagne woods, offers broad shoulders. Meursault Perrières is richer than the most rigid modern Meursault but still plenty taut. Chevalier-Montrachet completes the top tier.
Bourgogne Blanc from Meursault and Puligny provides a great junior-varsity snapshot of those two appellations combined.
Domaine Bernard Moreau & Fils
Chassagne-Montrachet | Côte de Beaune | Organic Principles
Alex Moreau has been properly obsessed with premox, the premature oxidation problem haunting white Burgundy since the late 1990s. Rather than pointing fingers at any single culprit, he recognised the need for wholesale rethinking of Burgundian white winemaking. The result: Domaine Bernard Moreau has quietly risen to the upper echelons of Chassagne production over the past two decades.
Families in Chassagne often trace roots through centuries; the Moreaus have tilled these soils since the 1800s. When Alex took the reins from his father Bernard in 1999, he began measured tweaks informed by neighbouring wisdom and Southern Hemisphere stints.
His move toward longer élevage mirrors Jean-Marc Roulot's approach: twelve months in wood (under 30 percent new) followed by up to six months in steel. His fermentation protocol is equally thoughtful: just enough SO2 at crush to keep indigenous yeasts on reasonable timetable, coupled with deliberate browning of juice early on. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this "bad start" often leads to greater stability. He has dropped bâtonnage, preferring wines find their own centre of gravity over hands-off élevage lasting north of twelve months.
His approach acknowledges what locals know: Chassagne possesses a naturally "flattering, fruity side," meaning early picking alone won't guarantee freshness, just as extended hang time won't deliver complexity. "We're always walking a tightrope. Make wines too lean, too acid-driven, and you've lost what makes Chassagne, well, Chassagne. But let ripeness run the show and you're asking for trouble."
In 2020, brother Benoît departed to launch his own outfit. But the foundation from their twenty-year partnership ensures this remains the Chassagne benchmark.
The wines
Even baseline offerings display careful balance. Bourgogne Aligoté and Bourgogne Blanc (from Chassagne's flats) showcase signature tension between freshness and ripe yellow fruit, the Chardonnay leaning into that peculiar heathery, fleshy pear character found in lower zones.
Saint-Aubin En Remilly brings pronounced floral notes and unmistakable stoniness. Village Chassagne, blended from various parcels, offers textbook figgy richness tethered by celery-like snap.
Premier crus
The lineup offers a proper tour of Chassagne's bewildering terroir mosaic. Clos St. Jean, perched above the village, delivers mint-laden aromatics with curious curry-like reduction. Les Champgains, a touch downslope, goes full wildflower with concentrated, chewy apple textures. Vergers, beside St. Jean, presents friendlier, more immediate profile without surrendering complexity.
La Maltroie does the classic flinty thing. Les Chenevottes, from vines planted when Churchill was still in short trousers, contributes chamomile whispers and generous yellow fruit. Morgeot brings salt. Grandes Ruchottes, from vines that saw WWII's outbreak, delivers quintessential Chassagne: flint, cumin, lemon peel in harmony.
Grand crus
Chevalier-Montrachet shows peculiar white miso character alongside eye-watering tension. Bâtard-Montrachet delivers customary depth and staying power.
Reds
Yes, they make those too, though they'll never get the column inches of white siblings. Vieilles Vignes is dense, requiring patience or properly fatty coq au vin. La Cardeuse, within sprawling Morgeot, gets stems treatment (roughly half), lending distinctly smoky, stony notes.
Domaine Roulot
Meursault | Côte de Beaune | Certified Organic
Jean-Marc Roulot's signature technique of resting whites in tank for six months post-barrel helped reshape contemporary winemaking across Meursault and the entire Côte de Beaune, marking a decisive shift from leesy opulence toward sleeker, mineral expression. His decisions weren't motivated by premox concerns (a phenomenon not yet recognised then), but proved remarkably prescient: Roulot stands among the handful of producers to largely dodge that bullet.
The estate has long stood apart in Meursault, a village where négociants traditionally wielded considerable clout. The property earned its stripes not through blue-chip holdings but by consistently transcending its vines' supposed station. Until recently, parcels were mostly village-level with just whispers of Perrières and Charmes. Even today, the Roulot mystique draws more from lieux-dits like Luchets (planted in '29), Vireuils, and Clos de Mon Plaisir than from grander premiers crus.
The family has always had to work for its reputation, which perhaps explains why Jean-Marc still feels moral duty to produce wines at accessible price points, hence ramped-up Bourgogne Blanc production. That even his Aligoté now commands silly money says more about market madness than anything in the bottle.
Jean-Marc's father Guy began refining the somewhat rustic approach of his own father Paul, shortening macerations and coaxing more polish. When Guy died unexpectedly in 1982, Jean-Marc wasn't ready for the reins: he was pursuing his acting career (which remarkably continues alongside viticultural duties). A young American named Ted Lemon stepped in, followed by Roulot relation Franck Grux. Jean-Marc returned in 1989, aged thirty-three, but reckons his stylistic vision crystallised only with the 1992 vintage.
This was reinforced the following year when a stubbornly slow-developing Perrières warranted extended steel time: the genesis of his now-recognised signature technique. This experience triggered two crucial decisions: stretching élevage from eleven to eighteen months (twelve in wood, six in steel), and embracing organic practices. Alongside came experimentation with pressing protocols and the realisation that crushing grapes and pressing with liberal oxygen exposure, contrary to prevailing wisdom, actually suited his material.
The wines
While premiers crus command attention, immense pleasure exists across the broader range.
Meursault Meix Chavaux, east-facing at Auxey-Duresses' boundary, delivers sinewy power. Luchets shows nearly porcelain-like delicacy and lift: quite the opposite of stereotypical Meursault. Vireuils brings profound bay-leaf aromatics and spice. Les Tessons, Clos de Mon Plaisir (a small Tesson enclave from vines dating to '52) returns to brightness and precision.
Recently Jean-Marc has widened scope with Puligny-Montrachet Le Cailleret, Chevalier-Montrachet, and Corton-Charlemagne from purchased fruit on Ladoix's flank. Red Monthélie makes a compelling case for that overlooked commune.
The spirits
The family maintains another tradition worth noting: talent for distillation. Paul Roulot was known to serve homemade spirits between courses when meals required thoughtful interlude, as Anthony Hanson memorably described. Jean-Marc continues this sideline, producing exceptional marc and a virtually unobtainable apricot liqueur that has Burgundy's collectors elbowing each other aside.
Fanny Sabre
Pommard | Côte de Beaune | Certified Organic
Fanny Sabre's Pommard faced three rejections from the local tasting panel, puncturing any illusion that Burgundy has entirely shed its conservative tendencies. Yet she has emerged as one of the region's most compelling young talents, willing to colour outside lines while respecting tradition's framework.
Fate reshaped her plans. When her father died in 2000, taking over the family's Pommard estate wasn't on her agenda. But after apprenticing with natural-wine touchstone Philippe Pacalet, who managed vinification during transition, something clicked. Sabre assumed control in 2006, initially from a diminutive Beaune cellar. The real turning point came in 2013 with her return to Pommard, where she began nudging winemaking beyond Pacalet's template.
Her aim: coaxing more distinctive personalities from each cuvée and sidestepping that persistent critique that minimal-intervention Burgundy homogenises terroir expression. Her lack of multi-generational oversight has proven liberating: no grandparents peering over shoulder, no parents questioning methods, allowing refreshing autonomy rare in tradition-bound Burgundy.
The organically-farmed domaine has expanded modestly from inherited 4.5 hectares. Today's holdings stretch beyond Pommard and Volnay to include Beaune, Hautes-Côtes, and Meursault: a portfolio virtually impossible to assemble from scratch given astronomical land prices.
Stylistically, Sabre's evolution reveals a thoughtful winemaker finding her voice. While semi-carbonic maceration dominated during Pacalet's tenure and her early years, from 2013 she reduced carbon dioxide use. Post-2014 marked a shift toward "natural Burgundian vinification": essentially more traditional approach, still anchored in indigenous yeasts and minimal intervention.
Her investment priorities speak volumes. Those impressive Stockinger tronconics aren't reserved for top cuvées but cradle her Bourgogne Rouge: commitment to elevating entry-level wines rather than merely polishing grands crus. Whites see no bâtonnage. Sulphur additions remain minimal throughout élevage.
The wines
Her substantial range (often fifteen bottlings) concludes tastings with Bourgogne Aligoté: a deliberate statement about hierarchy. This isn't mere contrariness. Her Aligoté, from a Pommard combe slope opposite La Chanière, delivers remarkable complexity with distinctive celery-water and pear-drop richness. Bourgogne Rouge, fashioned from declassified Pommard, offers crystalline red fruit with that appellation's characteristic savoury undertow.
Most intriguing are table wines from obscure Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche IGP, from flats east of Pommard. Anatole Rouge delivers straightforward pinot pleasure. Anatole Blanc emerges from increasingly fashionable field blend: chardonnay, aligoté, melon de Bourgogne and others, nodding to pre-phylloxera diversity.
The portfolio extends through Savigny-lès-Beaune (both colours), Monthélie Rouge, and various Beaune bottlings including Beaune Clos des Renards in red and white: the latter displaying ripe amplitude from a hill-summit site above Champs Pimont, where pinot blanc joins chardonnay.
Sabre excels with home turf. Village Pommard blends four parcels into something muscular yet never ponderous. Pommard Vaumuriens presents greater generosity and tension with subtle floral inflections. Village Volnay captures rose-petal delicacy and mineral lift. Volnay Mitans balances ferrous intensity with brilliant fruit clarity and unexpected citrus nuances.
Her Meursault work has recently hit stride: canny expansion for a Pommard-based vigneronne whose technique teases out textural complexity without excessive richness. Beyond village Meursault, she produces rarely-seen Meursault Limozin (below Genevrières) and, most impressively, Meursault Charmes.
Cuvée Camille, a pétillant naturel from pinot noir, remains a genuine Côte d'Or curiosity.
Fiona Leroy
Dezize-lès-Maranges | Côte de Beaune | Certified Organic
Fiona Leroy proves that Burgundy, despite astronomical land prices, still harbours opportunity for newcomers who know where to look. She arrived in winter 2017 and carved out a modest 2.7-hectare domaine in the Côte de Beaune's southern reaches, a hotbed for emerging vignerons often unfairly relegated behind glitzier northern neighbours.
Her approach is refreshingly straightforward. Viticulture is organic: enough copper and sulphur to keep vines healthy, homoeopathic treatments when needed, no dogmatic adherence to single ideology. Seasoned oak does the heavy lifting in cellar, with whites and reds fermenting and maturing in barrels long past overt oak influence.
The wines
Bourgogne Rouge Les Foultières comes from an odd spot: a west-facing parcel straddling Cheilly-lès-Maranges and Bouzeron. One foot in Côte Chalonnaise, one in Côte de Beaune. This geographical quirk yields a wine caught between worlds, all the more intriguing for it.
Maranges Sur Le Bois draws from 70-year-old vines at the appellation's northern edge, a whisper from Santenay. These old vines deliver the pure cherry notes associated with that neighbouring village. Clos des Loyères basks on a broad south-facing Sampigny-lès-Maranges slope, delivering greater heft and ripeness.
Blanc hasn't historically been Maranges' strength, but Leroy's Au Chêne, on the same slope as Loyères but nudged southeast into Cheilly, suggests underappreciated potential. Her single-parcel Aligoté La Motte sur Chat, next to Foultières in Cheilly, has become something of a calling card, riding renewed interest in Burgundy's other white grape. Hautes-Côtes bottlings round out the range.
Benjamin Leroux
Beaune | Côte de Beaune | Négociant
Benjamin Leroux pioneered the urban winery model in Burgundy, reconfiguring a Beaune building into a working cellar from 2007 while amassing more than fifty appellations as a small négociant. His style is tidy and clean, and buying land has become his new focus.
Burgundian by birth but not from a grower family, Leroux plied the journeyman trade common to young French winemakers: stints in Oregon, Chile, and Cos d'Estournel in Bordeaux. In 1998, at twenty-three, he was hired to run Domaine du Comte Armand in Pommard, staying fifteen vintages before departing to focus on his own label.
The wines
While demand concentrates on the obvious (Chambertin, Meursault le Porusot), the more interesting wines sit on the edges.
Red Vougeot Clos du Village, from 0.5 hectare of village-level vines rare in that commune, is meaty with roasted fruit and a crushed-pansies twinge. Saint-Romain Sous le Château offers distinctive spicy fruit and celery salt. Monthélie Les Duresses white is another rarely seen Côte de Beaune over-performer.
Jean-Yves Devevey
Demigny | Côte Chalonnaise and Hautes-Côtes | Certified Organic
Jean-Yves Devevey is Burgundy's vigneron's vigneron: the insider's pick among fellow winemakers. The number of Beaune dinners where vignerons order his wines with their meal attests to his standing.
Devevey is of the region but not from a wine family. Look up Demigny on a map: it lies due east of Puligny, in what might once have been vineyards but is now vegetable land on the plains. The family property was historically a farm with modest vineyard outside appellation borders. That Devevey replanted some family land to savagnin is the sort of move to win winemaker fans.
The winery runs as a micronégoce with about 8 hectares total, some owned, some rented, all organic, predominantly in Rully and Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.
The wines
Devevey's wines fill missing pieces: amplitude in his Hautes-Côtes, fine-boned precision in his Rully and Beaune offerings.
Bourgogne Chardonnay, mostly from Nantoux above Pommard plus Rully, is as rewarding a regional white as exists. The silken Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc Champs Perdrix, from a high Nantoux plot, makes believers of single-plot Hautes-Côtes sceptics. Les Chagnots 18 Lunes, from directly below Champs Perdrix, does the same.
Two Rully whites: Les Thivaux from near the ridge above town, and La Chaume Blanc from lower on the slope. The latter also sources Rully Rouge La Chaume.
Beaune Pertuisots, from slightly north of Clos des Mouches, has lifted prettiness. Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Rouge again comes from Nantoux.
CÔTE DE NUITS
Domaine Faiveley
Nuits-Saint-Georges | Côte de Nuits | Approaching Organic
Faiveley represents the most successful reinvention of the traditional Burgundy négociant model. Established in 1825, the house now controls 80 percent of its own fruit supply and produces wines that serve as accessible gateways to legendary grands crus including Chambertin-Clos de Bèze.
The transformation began when Erwan Faiveley took the helm in 2004 at twenty-five. Alongside his father François, he recruited Bernard Hervet, former director of Bouchard Père & Fils, as general manager. The changes were sweeping: by 2006, progressive coopers like François Frères replaced traditional barrel suppliers. Under chief winemaker Jérôme Flous, production pivoted to micro-lot vinification with indigenous yeasts, grand cru fermentations in massive wooden vats, increasing whole-cluster inclusion, and minimal filtration.
The family's considerable resources enabled aggressive vineyard acquisition during Burgundy's speculative boom. Their 2007-onwards purchases included Domaine Annick Parent (Pommard Les Rugiens, Volnay Fremiets), Domaine Monnot in Puligny (Bâtard-Montrachet), and Gevrey-Chambertin's Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot (Charmes-Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin). Vineyard management now emphasises massal selection over clones, with each worker assigned complete authority over individual parcels.
Erwan's Columbia Business School background infused fresh commercial sensibilities; by 2014, sister Eve had joined leadership. Full organic conversion remains a prospect rather than reality, but their trajectory represents profound commitment to Burgundian heritage.
The wines
The crown jewel is monopole Clos des Cortons Faiveley, bearing the family name by 1930 Dijon court decree. It has consistently outperformed when Corton was unfashionable, captivating with haunting violet aromatics. The white sibling, Corton-Charlemagne from identical terrain, has emerged as the appellation's gold standard: initial luxurious richness giving way to subtle coriander and almond nuances.
Their domaine offerings (distinct from historic Joseph Faiveley négociant bottlings) deliver ever-increasing quality while remaining relatively accessible.
On more approachable terrain, Faiveley has championed Mercurey with unwavering dedication, constructing a dedicated Côte Chalonnaise facility. The signature Mercurey Clos des Myglands remains exceptional: enigmatic black-sesame complexity with characteristic iodine-driven tension.
Mark Haisma
Gilly-lès-Cîteaux | Côte de Nuits and Northern Rhône | Négociant
Mark Haisma has developed the most tactically intelligent approach to the Burgundy négociant system operating today. His method is simple but radical: he insists on collecting grapes directly from the vineyard, positioning his van at row's end rather than accepting delivery at the cellar or as finished wine. "Given the premium prices I'm paying, am I supposed to simply collect my grapes from someone else's winery?"
His path to Gilly-lès-Cîteaux was circuitous. From Australian restaurants to working alongside Bailey Carrodus at Yarra Yering, then back to England before settling in France in 2009. His portfolio now extends into the northern Rhône, where he has identified growers willing to lease parcels as a strategy for preserving vineyards for future generations.
The wines
The catalogue spans from Bourgogne Aligoté to Échézeaux. Earlier vintages showed occasional oak influence, now noticeably refined.
Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chaffots, sourced near Clos Saint-Denis, offers exceptional generosity and concentrated fruit intensity for a Morey, complemented by sublime truffle undertones. Nuits-Saint-Georges La Charmotte presents woodsy, dark-fruited character. Gevrey-Chambertin Croix des Champs delivers profound, contemplative, blood-orange-tinged complexity, with whole-bunch fermentation adding welcome dimension.
Beyond Burgundy, his northern Rhône offerings impress equally. A vibrant white Saint-Péray stands alongside a thrillingly precise, spice-driven Cornas.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Chambolle-Musigny | Côte de Nuits | Organic Principles
Charles van Canneyt has transformed Hudelot-Noëllat into one of Burgundy's most refined sources for Vosne-Romanée and Vougeot since taking control in 2008. The estate commanded respect under his grandfather Alain from the 1970s, but van Canneyt's tenure represents a step-change in precision and finesse.
Like his contemporary Thibaud Clerget, van Canneyt inherited an extraordinary portfolio at a remarkably young age and displayed virtually no learning curve. He has since established a boutique négociant operation in Beaune, producing wines from appellations beyond the domaine's holdings including Clos de Vougeot, Nuits-Mures, and Clos Saint-Denis.
His winemaking philosophy embraces brevity: a concise cold soak of approximately five days followed by gentle pressing, favouring restraint to preserve fruit purity. Wines typically mature in approximately 25 percent new oak.
The wines
Clos Vougeot stands as a particular triumph, sourced from two parcels near the upper slopes. It offers spiced, almond-tinged complexity with beautifully integrated tannins and a beguiling roasted quality. Less celebrated but equally mesmerising is premier cru Les Petits Vougeots from the same village, displaying crystalline clarity in its red fruit expression.
The two Vosne-Romanée offerings, Les Suchots (from century-old vines) and Les Malconsorts, both eloquently express the village's quintessential truffle-earth character. Romanée-Saint-Vivant captures the inherent sensuousness of that revered terroir: notes of musk and shoyu alongside an intoxicatingly lush texture.
Domaine Sylvain Pataille
Marsannay-la-Côte | Côte de Nuits | Organic with Biodynamic Elements
Sylvain Pataille has done more than any producer to demonstrate Aligoté's potential as a serious variety, producing four distinct single-vineyard bottlings from Marsannay that challenge assumptions about Burgundy's hierarchy. His advocacy extends to supposedly minor terroirs and underappreciated parcels, effectively embracing all that others have discarded.
Burgundian by birth and formally trained at Beaune and Bordeaux, Pataille initially returned home as an oenologist, spending years at one of Beaune's principal laboratories before working as consultant and viticultural educator. With aspirations to establish his own estate, he began modestly with a single hectare in 1999 and methodically expanded to 15 hectares, deliberately pursuing ancient Aligoté vines and low-yielding Pinot Noir parcels considered insufficiently productive for Marsannay's increasingly fashionable rosé.
In the cellar, he favours protracted indigenous-yeast fermentations frequently extending to six months, followed by up to twenty-four months' maturation in seasoned oak for whites without lees stirring. Remarkably, his Aligoté receives longer élevage than Chardonnay. Reds feature significant whole-cluster inclusion and minimal new oak.
The Aligotés
Bourgogne Aligoté, crafted from venerable vines in Champ Forey and Auvonnes, is simultaneously luxurious and invigorating. Aligoté Les Champ Forey, from vines dating to 1932 on gravelly soils, delivers savoury, pleasantly pungent characteristics that improve magnificently after decanting. Les Auvonnes au Pépé, from his grandfather's slender plot of 1930s vines on stone and marl, reveals pronounced mineral intensity with distinctive iodine accents.
Aligoté La Charme Aux Prêtres emerges from higher elevation sites with pronounced crinoidal limestone, vines established in 1949. It presents captivating tension: floral, precisely structured, with pine-like nuances reminiscent of fine Chenin Blanc. Aligoté Clos du Roy, from gobelet-trained vines planted in 1931 on iron-rich limestone at the appellation's northern boundary, is curiously the most delicately structured, evoking talc and freshly chopped chervil.
The whites and rosé
Marsannay Blanc Chardonnay Rose blends 1949 vines with recent massale selections of this obscure sub-variety, yielding fruit-pulp richness reminiscent of marmalade. Bourgogne Blanc Les Méchalots from stony terroir displays taut structure and pronounced tree fruit.
The straightforward Marsannay Blanc reveals flinty minerality and green quince notes. Marsannay La Charmes Aux Prêtres presents the antithesis of its Aligoté counterpart: remarkable fleshiness and structural definition. Marsannay Rosé Fleur de Pinot employs vines from the 1930s with subtle Pinot Gris inclusion for profound textural depth, evoking cherry-leather and drawing comparison to Rosé des Riceys.
The reds
Bourgogne Rouge Le Chapitre from Chenôve, just north of Clos du Roy, expresses quintessential Pinot character with delectable fruit-pulp texture. Marsannay Les Longeroies brilliantly showcases the appellation's spice-driven, tannin-forward personality. The red Clos du Roy reveals greater structural integrity and dark fruit concentration. Marsannay L'Ancestrale harnesses vines exceeding eighty years for a silken, impeccably balanced wine with distinctive juniper accents.
CÔTE CHALONNAISE
Domaine Dureuil-Janthial
Rully | Côte Chalonnaise | Certified Organic
Vincent Dureuil has done more than any producer to elevate Rully's reputation, spending nearly three decades teasing out subtle terroir variations within an appellation often viewed through undifferentiated lens. His finishing technique of resting whites in steel post-barrel mirrors Jean-Marc Roulot's approach in Meursault.
Taking charge from his father in 1994 at twenty-four, he embarked on transformation that elevated both family domaine and broader perception of this Côte Chalonnaise village. The estate's 20 hectares are now certified organic.
His winemaking sits comfortably within contemporary Burgundian idiom: native yeasts, minimal sulphur, barrel fermentation for whites followed by a year in wood then several months in steel tanks. Reds generally see full destemming with parallel maturation regime.
The reds
Premier cru reds showcase Rully's distinctive personality. Rully Rouge Chapitre, from 1958 plantings above the village, and Rully Le Clous, from 1936 vines slightly eastward, both express taut, red-fruited character, though Le Clous offers marginally greater amplitude. Rully En Guesnes, from between Le Meix Cadot's two sections, marries austerity with genuine charm.
Village Rully, assembled from 1970s Le Meix Cadot vines plus two additional parcels, delivers immediate fruit pleasure while retaining distinctive Chalonnaise twang separating these wines from Côte d'Or cousins.
The whites
Whites display fruity generosity coupled with tensile structure: a combination distinguishing Dureuil among peers. Premiers crus Rully Le Meix Cadot and Rully Blanc Chapitre lead the range.
Rully Les Chênes, from 1975 vines at the village's southern extremity adjacent to premier cru Margotés (which Dureuil produces in both colours), delivers remarkable rectitude and distinctive celery-like vitality belying modest classification.
The portfolio extends to Bourgogne Rouge, Bourgogne Blanc, surprisingly characterful Bourgogne Aligoté, neighbouring Mercurey parcels, and unexpectedly, Nuits-Saint-Georges. But the Rully wines showcase Dureuil's remarkable touch and unwavering commitment to this corner of Burgundy.
Domaine Jean-Baptiste Ponsot
Rully | Côte Chalonnaise | Organic Principles
Jean-Baptiste Ponsot often plays solitary revolutionary in Rully, a region where generational turnover has lagged behind other Burgundy areas with notably fewer young vignerons compared to Côte d'Or. Since taking control in 2000, he has methodically redirected family estate from volume-oriented bulk production toward terroir-expressive, single-parcel bottlings demanding serious attention.
His viticultural approach embraces organic principles without pursuing certification: pragmatic stance not uncommon among thoughtful regional producers. Fermentations typically proceed with indigenous yeasts, reflecting commitment to minimal intervention without dogmatic natural wine adherence.
He has no apparent relation to the Morey-Saint-Denis Ponsot dynasty.
The wines
Rully En Bas de Vauvry delivers warming nutmeg with distinctive honeyed character. Rully Molesme, from forty-year-old mid-slope vines, presents more angular, floral profile providing welcome counterpoint to underlying richness. Rully Montpalais reveals judicious oak influence alongside impressive density reminiscent of Puligny-Montrachet, underpinned by vibrant limestone minerality speaking clearly of Chalonnaise origins.
Rully Molesme Rouge, from the same parcel as white counterpart, showcases darker fruit while retaining mineral vitality distinguishing compelling Chalonnaise reds. A reminder that this region deserves consideration not as budget-friendly Côte d'Or alternative but as distinct terroir producing wines of genuine character.
MÂCONNAIS
Domaine des Comtes Lafon / Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon
Meursault and Milly-Lamartine | Côte de Beaune and Mâconnais | Certified Biodynamic
The Lafon name is virtually synonymous with Meursault, but Dominique Lafon's southern venture may prove equally significant. Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon has quietly transformed Mâconnais perceptions over two decades, bringing prestige and biodynamic rigour to a region where organic farming represented mere 5 percent of vineyard practice when he arrived.
The Meursault domaine's legendary bottlings, particularly benchmark Meursault Charmes and Meursault Genevrières, have been so exhaustively discussed that further commentary risks redundancy. Their Montrachet is indeed rather good, to engage in monumental understatement. The family's role in establishing La Paulée de Meursault in the 1920s underscores deep historical roots.
With Dominique's 2021 retirement, stewardship passed to children Léa and Pierre. The next generation brings opportunities for fresh approaches while honouring storied tradition.
Interestingly, when given choice, Dominique often steered conversations toward the Mâconnais project rather than his more famous Côte d'Or holdings.
Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon
The chapter began in 1999 when Dominique identified promising sites in Milly-Lamartine and surrounding villages. He imported biodynamic commitment already implemented across Meursault properties. Equally significant was his appointment of Caroline Gon, one of the area's rising talents (who with husband Frantz Chagnoleau established her own noteworthy domaine), as winemaker.
Cellar approach remains straightforward: indigenous fermentations, maturation in larger neutral oak, filtration typically employed except for certain cuvées.
The portfolio includes Mâcon-Villages from five parcels, Pouilly-Fuissé, Viré-Clessé, and Saint-Véran. But most compelling expressions emerge through single-parcel bottlings.
Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine comes from vineyards behind the cellar: darkly mineral. Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine Clos du Four, from original 1980s parcels on mid-slope, typically bottled without filtration, displays impressive flesh and pink peppercorn spice.
Mâcon-Uchizy Les Maranches, closer to Saône, presents citrus-focused profile with grapefruit and orange blossom. Mâcon-Bussières Le Monsard, near Solutré rock, offers notable density. Mâcon-Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette, a genuine walled vineyard, contributes vibrant zesty energy. Recent addition Mâcon-Prissé comes from easterly-exposed parcel shared with Frantz Chagnoleau.
Bret Brothers / La Soufrandière
Vinzelles | Mâconnais | Certified Organic and Biodynamic
The Bret brothers have established themselves as quintessential revivalists of Mâconnais tradition, running a dual operation that honours ancestral parcels while expanding horizons through a thoughtfully executed négociant arm.
The contemporary era traces to 1947, when grandfather Jules acquired modest Mâconnais property. For decades, fruit went to Vinzelles cooperative until 1998. Two years later, grandsons Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume assumed stewardship of La Soufrandière, promptly steering toward organic and biodynamic practices. Their third brother Marc-Antoine joined in 2010 but tragically passed four years later.
Alongside ancestral parcels, they established Bret Brothers négociant label focusing on southern Burgundy and Beaujolais through non-interventionist lens. The enterprise now encompasses 6 estate hectares supplemented by roughly 10 hectares of purchased fruit, predominantly from likeminded growers such as Jean-Marie Chaland of Domaine Sainte Barbe.
Viticultural approach draws from old Mâconnais playbook, notably employing arcure: bending back vine canes to first trellis wire to harmonise cluster sizing and sap distribution rather than permitting vertical or lateral growth. In cellar: no sulphur at pressing, indigenous yeast fermentations, maturation in neutral vessels, and six additional months in tank for premier cuvées.
La Soufrandière wines
The range centres on grandfather's legacy: Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père from vines now averaging half a century. But it predominantly explores Pouilly's nuanced terroirs.
Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays, from deeper mid-slope soils, exhibits distinctive chamomile edges with mineral presence trumping fruit. Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts, from parcels behind the estate immediately north of Longeays, leans toward saline notes and dried apple, both sites underpinned by limestone with iron oxide.
A particularly compelling Aligoté comes from recently acquired vines beneath the imposing Vergisson outcrop.
Bret Brothers wines
The selection casts wider net: straightforward but beautifully executed Mâcon-Chardonnay and Mâcon-Cruzille alongside more site-specific bottlings.
Viré-Clessé Sous Les Plantes, from old vines on siltier terrain, is intensely focused and figgy. Pouilly-Fuissé Les Crays, from Vergisson rock's shadow, is tightly coiled with green olive nuances. Viré-Clessé La Verchère from fifty-five-year-old vines presents distinctive lemon drop character.
Their Beaujolais reach includes Morgon and Fleurie, plus Glou de Jeff (named for Jean-François Promonet of Maison Leynes). This cuvée from elevated 400-metre Leynes parcels exhibits brilliant red fruit with gorgeous stem-influenced structure reminiscent of Fleurie luminary Jean-Louis Dutraive.
Domaine Valette
Chaintré | Mâconnais | Certified Organic
Philippe and Cécile Valette have attained cult status through extraordinarily protracted élevage in neutral oak, frequently extending to five years, with sulphur kept to absolute minimum. The resulting wines possess distinctly burnished, gently oxidative character that particularly appeals to Jura enthusiasts.
Among the earliest Mâconnais champions of organic viticulture and natural winemaking (conversion began early 1990s), Philippe and his father Gérard unveiled profoundly different regional expression challenging conventional expectations. These bottlings stand apart from archetypal Mâcon: a divergence one might view as brilliantly refreshing or mildly heretical.
The Mâconnais authorities, not known for embracing stylistic outliers, have occasionally rejected Valette cuvées. Hence MesdemoiZelles, from seventy-five-year-old Pouilly-Vinzelles vines denied its birthright designation. Similarly, Et Pourtant ("and yet," a delightful bit of nose-thumbing) emerged when Viré-Clessé was barred from appellation status. The wine's original intended name, Je Suis Viré (meaning both "I am from Viré" and "I've been sacked"), perhaps indicates family attitude toward bureaucratic interference.
The wines
For immediate introduction to their approach, Mâcon-Villages from younger vines aged just a year in tank offers freshest interpretation.
The sweet spot is Mâcon-Chaintré, approximately two years in oak while retaining impressive vitality amid concentrated flavour.
At the opposite extreme sits Pouilly-Fuissé Clos Reyssié, subjected to full five-year maturation coaxing pronounced chestnut-like aromatics: a wine for admirers of López de Heredia's Viña Tondonia Blanco.
CHABLIS
Château de Béru
Béru | Chablis | Certified Biodynamic
Château de Béru represents Chablis reimagined through a naturalist lens, with a compelling narrative honouring centuries of tradition. The imposing medieval château, dating from the twelfth or thirteenth century, presides over 13 hectares in the eastern village bearing its name: less celebrated than neighbours due to absence of premier cru classifications.
For generations, lands remained under Béru family stewardship until illness forced Comte Éric de Béru to relinquish control to the local cooperative following extensive 1980s replanting. Only in 2004 did the property return to family hands: specifically to Éric's wife Laurence and daughter Athénaïs, who abandoned her Parisian finance career to assume viticultural responsibilities two years later.
Mother and daughter promptly steered toward organic then biodynamic practices. Their viticultural approach incorporates innovative lunar calendar adaptations, including post-harvest vine trimming to facilitate significantly delayed pruning: a technique mitigating increasingly problematic spring frost damage.
Within their fifteenth-century cellar, whole clusters undergo extended gentle pressing with sulphur withheld until bottling. Recent years have seen prolonged maturation (up to twenty-four months) in Austrian Stockinger casks for premium cuvées, supplemented by amphora-aged components.
The wines
The portfolio centres on single-parcel expressions.
Chablis Côte aux Prêtres, from southeast-facing plot opposite the château, displays sunnier disposition with pronounced lemon oil and warm fig. Flagship Chablis Clos Béru, from walled south-facing vineyard encircling the château, offers heightened focus: occasionally marked by wood in youth but ultimately revealing sweet lemon and pure saline minerality. Chablis Montserre, from higher plateau within Béru, delivers crunchy textures and mineral intensity in classical package. Chablis Orangerie, from smaller secondary clos, presents more linear, citrus-driven profile.
The Athénaïs label encompasses wines occasionally sourced beyond Chablis, notably a lithe, nectarine-inflected Pinot Gris from Côte Saint-Jacques macerated for up to a month.
Sébastien Dampt
Milly-Chablis | Chablis | Reduced Intervention
Sébastien Dampt represents the latest chapter in distinguished Chablisien lineage including father Daniel, brother Vincent, and grandfather Jean Defaix. In 2007, he assumed stewardship of most grandfather's vineyards, supplementing with new plantings to create an 8-hectare estate. Viticultural practices have substantially reduced agrochemical interventions, though stopping short of organic certification.
The wines
Petit Chablis Terroir de Milly, grown on Portlandian soils near premier cru Vaillons' Beugnons subparcel, challenges preconceptions about this humble appellation with surprising precision and saline character. Village Chablis, predominantly from Milly and raised exclusively in stainless steel, demonstrates appealing salinity with sweet lime notes.
Les Vaillons, from sixty-year-old parcel adjacent to Beugnons, displays pronounced flintiness with pleasing structural astringency. Most distinctive is Les Beugnons, a climat commercialised by remarkably few vignerons, matured in concrete eggs: yielding mustard-seed inflected, intensely mineral expression. The range extends to fruit-forward Côte de Léchet and grand cru Bougros from purchased fruit.
Dampt balances family heritage with contemporary refinements enhancing terroir expression without overshadowing fundamental Chablis character.
Vincent Dauvissat
Chablis | Chablis | Organic Principles
Dauvissat represents the definitive dialect of Chablis: wines balancing precision with character, minerality with texture, immediacy with profound ageing capacity. The name has become so inextricably linked with the appellation that citing it as benchmark seems almost tautological.
The more pertinent question now centres on when Vincent's name might be superseded on the label. Having transferred operational control to children Etiennette and Ghislain, the domaine appears poised for continued excellence, if not further refinement.
Though not formally certified, viticulture follows essentially organic principles. Stylistically, Dauvissat occupies thoughtful middle ground: maturation in neutral oak, lees stirring generally eschewed, élevage approximately twelve months for village wines and eighteen for more prestigious bottlings. The approach embraces traditional elements including deliberate must oxidation during pressing, a practice Vincent recalls his grandfather insisting posed no concern despite resulting amber hue. Sulphur regimes remain remarkably restrained throughout.
The wines
The 14-hectare estate yields definitive Chablis expressions, perhaps even more consistently than celebrated neighbours Domaine Raveneau.
Petit Chablis, sourced from Portlandian soils immediately above Les Clos grand cru, emerges from one of the appellation's most privileged positions: deeply mineral. Village Chablis, from northwest-facing parcels opposite Forêts toward Courgis, offers a masterclass in textural precision: profoundly verdant yet displaying perfect ripeness and understated polish.
Premier crus
Vaillons' Séchet subparcel, characterised by shell-limestone fragments and persistent winds, produces intensely saline wines with distinctive chervil nuances. Standard Vaillons comes from deeper, clay-rich soils where vines ripen earliest: more silken, gentle profile. La Forest (family's preferred spelling for central Montmains, illustrating Chablis' notoriously inconsistent orthography) delivers pronounced greengage plum and striking iodine minerality.
Grand crus
Les Preuses exhibits characteristic mustard-seed spice, curry leaf aromatics, and green tea notes. Les Clos presents more austere profile with darker fruit and textural grip from noticeable skin contact.
A red Irancy, cultivated by the Richoux family, completes the range: occasionally oak-influenced but consistently delivering saline complexity with vibrant sour cherry.
Alice & Olivier de Moor / Le Vendangeur Masqué
Courgis | Chablis | Certified Organic
Alice and Olivier de Moor produce France's definitive Aligoté alongside compelling Chablis from the overlooked village of Courgis. Their Aligoté Plantation 1902, from century-old Saint-Bris vines, reveals crushed oyster shell complexity and distinctive winter melon coolness: among the country's greatest expressions of this historically underappreciated variety.
Since establishing initial plots in 1989, they have charted distinctly independent course requiring neither grand cru prestige nor the region's characteristic oscillation between high yields and stylistic extremes. Olivier hails from Courgis, barely ten minutes from Chablis proper, where the couple operates from his grandmother's progressively expanded cellar. Alice brings perspective shaped by Jura origins: a fortuitous blend of sensibilities.
Both trained as oenologists and met whilst employed at a substantial commercial Chablis house. Land acquisition proved feasible in the early 1990s, enabling them to establish three steep Courgis parcels: Bel Air, Clardy, and Rosette, yielding their inaugural 1994 vintage.
That same year, they secured leasehold vineyards outside Chablis proper: half a hectare of century-old Aligoté (planted 1902) and 0.4 hectare of 1945 Sauvignon Blanc, both in Saint-Bris. By 1996, they planted additional Chardonnay and Aligoté in nearby Chitry. These less prestigious terroirs, counterintuitively, have become defining expressions.
By 2005, they embraced organic viticulture as regional pioneers, simultaneously abandoning filtration and restricting sulphur to bottling.
The Chablis
Their two principal bottlings, technically village level, were among earliest at this tier to receive single-vineyard designation.
Coteau de Rosette typically offers greater amplitude with pronounced mustard-seed spice alongside characteristic iodine minerality. Bel Air et Clardy, blending two contiguous parcels, presents more floral profile (notably hyacinth) with nuanced intensity. L'Humeur du Temps, from several smaller Courgis parcels, demonstrates weightier fresh-pear character.
From 2017, they supplemented production with organic premier cru fruit: Mont de Milieu, perhaps their most emphatically stony wine, and Vau de Vey, marrying that southeast-facing climat's natural ripeness to their characteristically rich style. All Chablis cuvées receive twelve to eighteen months' maturation including several months in tank post-barrel.
Beyond Chablis
Standard Aligoté from younger Chitry plantings displays remarkable density with pronounced lemon zest and focused minerality. These vines occasionally contribute to À Ligoter, a more approachable spring-bottled cuvée. In favourable, frost-limited vintages comes extraordinary Aligoté Plantation 1902: initially reserved, eventually revealing crushed oyster shell and winter melon.
Bourgogne Chitry delivers crunchy Chardonnay from Kimmeridgian limestone. Saint-Bris offers fully realised, texturally complex Sauvignon Blanc.
Le Vendangeur Masqué
Following diminished harvests, they established modest négociant operation under this cleverly named label (The Masked Harvester). It typically includes poised village Chablis and Bourgogne Blanc, plus far-ranging selections including D'Une Si Belle Compagnie Meridionale: a southern French white blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and other varieties introduced in 2016.
Moreau-Naudet
Chablis | Chablis | Organic Principles
Moreau-Naudet stands as testament to resilience following personal tragedy. Profound concern rippled through Chablis after Stéphane Moreau's untimely 2016 death, yet his wife Virginie and their seasoned cellar master have maintained remarkable continuity, preserving exceptional quality without visible disruption.
The estate's heritage proves particularly rich. Stéphane's grandfather played instrumental role establishing Chablis' formal boundaries, with family roots extending to the eighteenth century. Virginie's lineage, the Leblonds, boasts similarly impressive regional longevity.
This deep-rooted connection has yielded substantial property: 20 hectares owned plus 5 leased, with fruit strategically sold to prominent négociants including Laroche. House style emphasises tension and precision. Approximately one-third of prestigious bottlings mature in wood, remainder in stainless steel. Fermentations proceed with indigenous yeasts, with efforts focused on minimising chaptalisation.
The wines
Petit Chablis, predominantly from Courgis parcels, displays textbook lemony purity. Village Chablis, largely from Beaumont in Préhy alongside Courgis, presents pronounced mineral cut intersecting with figgy fruit.
Perhaps most compelling is Pargues Vieilles Vignes (occasionally labelled Caractère), from limestone ridge adjacent to the D2 between premiers crus Montmains and Vosgros. Essentially a declassified top cru substantially abandoned and consequently omitted from appellation hierarchy: tightly coiled saline intensity with distinctive mustard-seed spice.
Forêts displays pronounced leafiness with darker tonalities. Valmur presents impressively monolithic structure: a formidable wall of dark minerality interwoven with profound quince. Vaillons, from vines up to seven decades, offers buoyant energy with vibrant citrus tang and delicate alpine florality.
Domaine Pattes-Loup
Courgis | Chablis | Certified Organic
Thomas Pico has rapidly established himself as essential voice among Chablis' new generation, pushing boundaries while maintaining profound respect for regional character. Few emerging producers display comparable ambition: his pristine Courgis cuverie, complete with rainbow-painted tanks and distinctive yellow wax bottle finishes, signals thoroughly modern sensibility.
Having officially unveiled this iteration of family property in 2006, Pico speaks with characteristic rapid-fire intensity about progress challenges in a tradition-wedded region. He occasionally acknowledges perspective beyond his years, expressing concern about future generations appreciating the extraordinary effort this approach demands.
This commitment manifests in painstaking detail: gentle whole-cluster pressing, fastidious organic farming across nearly 25 hectares. All fruit is manually harvested, virtually all from Courgis save Butteaux, which effectively adjoins the village at Montmains' southern extremity.
The wines
Most cuvées undergo minimum two-year élevage partially in barrel.
Village Chablis Vent d'Ange from 1951 plantings sees twelve months in tank, consistently delivering incisive mineral freshness with distinctive kiwi tanginess. Butteaux vines enjoy southeast exposure but benefit from open valley position: typically mild reduction in youth, accompanied by profound chervil and bay-leaf herbaceous complexity.
Côte de Jouan, directly opposite the cellar, seldom receives premier cru classification despite evident quality. One year in wood followed by another in tank yields Roulot-like structural tautness and talc-like purity: compelling evidence of Courgis' underappreciated potential. Beauregard, from the village's opposite flank, presents sunnier, more immediately approachable disposition.
Édouard & Éléni Vocoret
Chablis | Chablis | Organic Principles
The Vocorets exemplify thoughtful evolution within Chablis tradition, respecting established wisdom while incorporating contemporary techniques enhancing terroir expression. Their approach harmonises exemplary viticulture with technical cellar mastery: a surprisingly uncommon regional combination.
The Vocoret surname enjoys widespread Chablis recognition, though not necessarily this branch. Édouard's father Patrice oversees one of the region's more substantial operations. Édouard and wife Éléni, whose background includes time with the esteemed Dauvissat estate, established their independent venture with inherited parcels. Only in 2017, following challenging frost-affected seasons and a period selling fruit, did they assume complete management of their 5-hectare holding.
Their approach diverges meaningfully from family tradition. Viticulture follows effectively organic principles without formal certification. Winemaking embraces deliberate patience: fermentations proceed unhurriedly over up to four months in stainless steel, malolactic invariably completed, followed by twelve months in barrel and potentially another year in tank, adopting the Roulot technique of structural refinement through extended élevage.
The wines
Chablis En Boucheran, from mature vines between Vaillons and Montmains, demonstrates textbook stylistic equilibrium: clover and flint aromatics followed by impressive mid-palate richness, with discreet fruit sweetness reminiscent of Arena's handling of Corsican Vermentino. Les Pargues, from southeast-facing slopes east of Montmains, offers magnificent steely character and heightened vibrancy.
Le Bas de Chapelot arguably represents their most essential wine: a 3-hectare parcel directly beneath Montée de Tonnerre, their sole east bank holding. It marries riper flesh and honeydew melon skin notes with luminous, crystalline greenness defining exceptional Chablis. Premier cru Les Butteaux typically presents reserved, structured initial impression before revealing bracing mineral intensity with bottle age.
BEAUJOLAIS
Yann Bertrand / Famille Bertrand
Fleurie | Beaujolais | Certified Organic and Biodynamic
Yann Bertrand articulates the nuanced variations on carbonic maceration better than almost any Beaujolais winemaker, having developed a balanced approach suited to his material: whole clusters and supplementary carbon dioxide in vat, but not invariably sealing it. His distinctive style marries immediate fruit expression with deceptive structural complexity.
One cannot help but notice the photogenic Bertrand: his wines' magnetism aside, his remarkable bouffant would have inspired envy in Johnny Hallyday. This visual signature makes the contrast striking when encountering him in a well-worn t-shirt within his resolutely unpretentious cellar outside Fleurie.
The Bertrand holdings span 7.5 hectares, predominantly Fleurie's Grand Pré sector with modest Morgon parcel. Vineyards were divided from a larger family domaine (Romain Zordain taking the remainder), farmed organically since 1992 with biodynamic practices now widely implemented. Plantings feature impressive vine density, some parcels approaching their centenary.
When Yann assumed control in 2012, he benefited from father Guy's progressive foundation: Guy was a contemporary of Marcel Lapierre's influential circle, occasionally working without sulphur. This facilitated swift apprenticeship under distinguished mentors including Jean Foillard and Yvon Métras.
He acknowledges the freedom his parents granted to develop his own style, noting their initial hesitation gradually transformed into genuine appreciation.
The wines
Fleurie Folie, matured in neutral oak, presents distinctive musk and chamomile. Fleurie Vieilles Vignes, from century-old plantings, emphasises refined yet profound rooty structure. Morgon Bio Dynamite typically receives near-pure carbonic maceration without sulphur, compensated by extended ageing: Morgon's deeper, stonier dimensions with mineral presence preceding fruit.
Fleurie Cuvée du Chaos undergoes prolonged maturation, yielding intriguing interpretation: floral elements present but accompanied by fresh earth and precisely delineated mineral-inflected red fruits. Recent portfolio additions include Juliénas Pur Ju from En Rizière, Saint-Amour Les Bambins, and straightforward Beaujolais Pure Oh!rigine from mature Fleurie vines using traditional carbonic methods.
Occasional entirely unsulphured efforts appear with predictably variable results, yet at their finest, these bottles deserve coveted status among natural wine enthusiasts.
Jean Foillard / Alex Foillard
Villié-Morgon | Beaujolais | Certified Organic
Jean Foillard stands as perhaps Beaujolais' most recognisable natural wine figure. His organically cultivated Côte du Py serves as definitive expression of that celebrated lieu-dit, while his prescient late-2000s return to artisanal Beaujolais Nouveau established a template inspiring countless imitators.
His spacious cellar beyond Villié-Morgon has become something of a landmark, arguably more familiar to locals than even Lapierre's facility given its prominent roadside position.
The entire cru range matures in predominantly neutral oak barrels.
Jean's wines
Morgon Côte du Py consistently presents formidable structure beneath reserved demeanour. Morgon Cuvée 3.14 ("pi") has become cult phenomenon: centenarian Py vines yielding profound amplification of the hill's characteristic stoic, dark-mineral qualities.
Morgon Les Charmes Eponym, from one of Morgon's highest sites, offers starker expression dominated by concentrated dark fruit. Silken Morgon Corcelette follows. Remarkably structured Fleurie from lieu-dit Champagne complements Beaujolais-Villages and the aforementioned Nouveau.
Alex Foillard
For younger generation in established domaines, the path of least resistance involves following parental precedent. Alex demonstrated impressive independence in 2016, aged twenty-four, by acquiring Brouilly vineyards, initiating organic conversion, and expanding family horizons under his own label.
His winemaking broadly mirrors his father's approach, though terroirs and expressions diverge significantly.
Beaujolais-Villages from Saint-Ennemond delivers bright fruit with more substantial tannic structure than typically encountered at this level. Brouilly from La Folie receives approximately 50 percent barrel maturation: more contemplative profile harbouring quiet internal energy. Côte de Brouilly from Chavanne, aged exclusively in concrete, distinguishes itself through remarkable aromatic complexity and exuberance.
As Alex progressively assumes greater father's operations responsibility alongside his own label, the Foillard legacy appears assured: ideal transition preserving excellence while embracing fresh perspectives.
Domaine Lapierre
Villié-Morgon | Beaujolais | Certified Organic
Domaine Lapierre demonstrates how an iconic estate can navigate generational transition while preserving essential character: a testament to the enduring power of Beaujolais at its finest. Arguably the region's most venerated estate in recent decades, it addresses a profound question haunting iconic properties: how does one proceed when the icon departs?
The wine world seems never to have fully processed Marcel Lapierre's untimely 2010 death; restaurant lists still frequently present bottles under his name alone. While honouring memory, this inadvertently diminishes accomplishments of his children Mathieu and Camille, who have steered forward with remarkable fidelity to their father's ethos while adroitly navigating Beaujolais' transformation from underappreciated backwater to vinous cause célèbre.
That wines have maintained exceptional quality and relative affordability while estate growth has progressed organically represents the essence of transmission: that quintessentially French concept of generational continuity.
The siblings maintain their father's tradition of welcoming promising apprentices, cultivating a next-generation cadre expanding Beaujolais' finest principles: exemplary organic viticulture, judicious cellar minimalism, and visible regional advocacy. They've maintained prominent position in contemporary wine discourse whilst scrupulously avoiding temptation to exploit Marcel's reputation.
Holdings encompass 14 hectares across three Morgon climats: pure granitic sands of Douby where the domaine sits; Perou on ancient alluvial deposits east of village; and celebrated Côte du Py with its complex amalgam of granite and schistous, manganese-rich roche pourri. The entire estate has been organic since 1981.
Unlike many contemporaries, they resist increasingly fashionable parcel-specific bottlings, adhering to traditional cru-designated wines while separately harvesting and often distinctly vinifying up to twenty-five parcels before blending.
Cellar approach
For an estate inspiring countless carbonic maceration practitioners, cellar practice displays refreshing pragmatism. Carbonic fermentation occurs in vats with minimal intervention, emphasising gentle extraction from cellular enzymes: direct contrast to conventional Burgundian maceration. This typically continues three weeks before vertical pressing preceding most fermentation.
Sulphur additions are generally avoided during vinification, necessitating obsessively meticulous vineyard sorting by ever-expanding harvest intern cohorts. Indigenous yeasts are employed, prudently monitored via microscope to ensure microbial health and inform decisions regarding minimal pre-ageing sulphur. Modern equipment like peristaltic pumps coexists with traditional vessels. Far from diminishing natural wine credentials, this demonstrates thoughtful oenological practice complementing principled philosophy.
The wines
The focused portfolio centres on blended Morgon. The perennial enthusiast conundrum involves choosing between sulphured and unsulphured expressions.
The sulphured version (sometimes denoted "S") consistently offers remarkable nuance: smoky, pungent elements framing paprika and beetroot, supported by exquisitely refined tannins. The unsulphured bottling (occasionally marked "N") emphasises vibrant red fruit while sacrificing some aromatic complexity: more forthright profile, though debate regarding respective merits proves endless. The actual distinction proves less dramatic than supposed: unsulphured version is simply bottled immediately before final pre-bottling sulphur addition for standard cuvée: effectively same wine captured at different moments.
Morgon Cuvée Camille, single-parcel from Roche du Py within Côte du Py, undergoes extended maceration: more austere, initially reserved expression emphasising darker terroir aspects. In exceptional vintages appears Cuvée Marcel Lapierre (often with Roman numerals) from centenarian Py vines: heightened ripeness with more structured tannins.
Recent additions include long-anticipated expansion beyond Morgon with Juliénas from Côte de Bessay, neighbouring Domaine Chapel: same subtle brightness as their Morgon. Juliénas Pacalet + Lapierre Cousins is collaborative effort with cousin Christophe Pacalet.
Raisins Gaulois, primarily from younger Morgon vines classified as humble vin de France, is consistently carefree: among France's most delightful everyday wines.
Yvon Métras / Jules Métras
Vauxrenard | Beaujolais | Certified Organic
Yvon Métras produces some of Beaujolais' most coveted yet enigmatic wines, his peculiar talent for hiding in plain sight rendering him the natural wine movement's overlooked fifth cornerstone. Despite close association with other luminaries, the conventional Beaujolais narrative curiously tends to overlook him.
Yvon exhibits profound aversion not merely to media attention but to conventional distribution channels, resulting in notoriously fluctuating wine availability. This seemingly mercurial behaviour perhaps represents rejection of the movement's increasing commercialisation. He works with characteristic discretion from an unpretentious concrete-block cellar near Vauxrenard, high above Fleurie: a workspace now shared with son Jules, who began his viticultural career in 2014.
Yvon's partner Gusta van Walsem operates seasonal pop-up restaurant Éphémère from their home during summer.
Viticulture remains steadfastly organic, with most of Yvon's 5 hectares positioned near the cellar at Fleurie's uppermost reaches. Jules maintains 3 hectares including Chiroubles parcels.
Yvon's approach
Winemaking draws directly from Jules Chauvet's methodology: whole clusters, carbonic maceration, relatively extended maturation, judicious neutral oak, sulphur withheld until bottling (occasionally eschewed entirely). Stylistically, his wines perhaps most closely resemble Jean-Louis Dutraive's: particular fruit luminosity alongside deceptive structure gradually revealing itself.
Yvon's wines
Straightforward Beaujolais from elevated parcel approaching 500 metres, beyond Fleurie's boundary, consistently delivers brightness and distinctive verve. Fleurie Le Printemps, from younger vines, presents more forthright fruit.
Benchmark Fleurie has established itself as regional reference: layered composition of ripe stem spice and radiant raspberry typically requiring extended aeration. Occasional Fleurie L'Ultime emerges from 120-year-old vines near La Madone: formidable concentration and stoicism demanding substantial cellaring. Most elusive remains Moulin-à-Vent: surprising elegance and silken texture for this typically muscular cru.
Jules' wines
Jules follows similar principles, though his bottlings frequently demonstrate heightened freshness and more pronounced tannic architecture.
His exceptional Chiroubles, from precipitous old-vine plantings approaching 500 metres at the appellation's zenith, ranks among the most accomplished expressions of this often-overlooked cru: taut, ferrous, earthy character achieving remarkable balance through subtle red fruit generosity and distinctive umami. Chiroubles La Montagne, from sixty-year-old vines, adheres more traditionally to appellation character: precise rectitude with nervous, sanguine, burnt-orange vibrancy combining balletic precision with unexpected intensity.
Beaujolais-Villages Bijou presents pronounced tannic structure and acidity supporting concentrated dark fruit evolving toward damson plum and iodine with aeration.
Domaine Thillardon
Chénas | Beaujolais | Certified Organic and Biodynamic
Paul-Henri Thillardon has done more than any producer to elevate Chénas, the historically obscure cru wedged between celebrated neighbours Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent. His deep commitment to single-parcel expressions provides rare opportunity to understand this appellation's terroir in granular detail.
Beginning modestly in 2008 with 3 ancestral hectares in southern Frontenas, he progressively expanded through leased parcels in Chénas, Chiroubles, and Moulin-à-Vent, some featuring near-centenarian vines. The entire estate now adheres to organic or biodynamic principles, incorporating horse-drawn cultivation in select parcels.
Under mentorship of Jean-Louis Dutraive and Yvon Métras, Thillardon methodically refined his approach, gravitating toward more traditional carbonic techniques alongside expected hallmarks: indigenous yeasts, minimal sulphur, approximately half the production in neutral oak.
The wines
Chénas Les Carrières, from parcel near La Chapelle-de-Guinchay with flint and stone fragments in granite, manifests bright raspberry. Chénas Les Boccards, from more archetypal granite plateau near the winery, presents plumper fruit with gentler tannic structure.
Chénas Les Blémonts, from La Chapelle's clay-rich, manganese-influenced soils, showcases finer talc-like tannins with distinctive blood-orange vibrancy. Chénas Chassignol, from ninety-year-old vines on precipitous western slopes, one of the appellation's original lieux-dits, serves as portfolio elder statesman: profound complexity through smoked plum, dark mineral, cassia bark aromatics, underpinned by immaculately refined substantial tannins.
Chénas Les Vibrations represents superior fruit selection from across parcels, vinified with more thoroughly carbonic methods: subtle balsamic nuances with deceptive gradually-revealing structure. Moulin-à-Vent, from steep Michelons and Pinchons parcels, balances assertive dusky characteristics with polished dark fruit.
Là Haut Le Blanc des Thillardon offers Beaujolais Blanc interpretation. Raisins Libres provides approachable, youthful straight Beaujolais through full carbonic maceration.
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