- CHABLIS
- MARSANNAY
- GEVREY CHAMBERTIN
- VOSNE ROMANEE
- NUIT SAINT GEORGES
- MOREY SAINT DENIS
- POMMARD -PULIGNY MONTRACHET - MEURSAULT
- CHALONNAIS - MACONNAIS
- JURA
- BEAUJOLAIS
Domaine du Colombier –Fontenay près Chablis – www.domaine-du-colombier.com
A family domain highly regarded for making Chablis wines that reflect a sense of place with the extra kudos of displaying an immediacy of style. An established winner! The 17 hectares domaine has been a family property since 1887, handed down over several generations. Three brothers Jean-Louis, Vincent and Thierry Mothe are nowadays running the domain with care and attention.
Domaine Mauperthuis –
www.mauperthuis.fr
Bourgogne Chardonnay Les Truffières has real pedigree to its fruit. The Bourgogne Pinot Noir les Brulis is a joy to enjoy now whilst the Grande Réserve is a bit more ‘grown up’ in style, after spending some time in oak. The domain run by Laurent and Noelle Ternynck excels in producing wines that speaks of their terroirs and have received increased attention from the specialist press. Irancy Mazelot is Pinot Noir based with some well judged use of oak. The Mazelot is part Pinot Noir part part César with silky tanins that got its 3* from Revue de Vin de France in 2020.
DOMAINE DE L’ELISE – Milly
In his mid-twenties, Frédéric Prain was looking to give his life a new direction. As synchronicity would have he came across this domain and upon seeing the potential, he decided to take on the challenge of becoming a vine grower and winemaker. The domain was initially created in 1970 but was left in a neglected state when Frédéric acquired it in 1984. This is probably the only domain in Chablis where the entire vineyard holding surrounds the domain itself.
An engineer by trade, he became a passionate vigneron. Often, dubbed as the hermit of Chablis for he does not seek the spotlight, his wines have gained praise and truly articulate his passion. He produces a Petit Chablis, a Chablis and some 1er Cru de Léchet from the 13,5 ha vineyards located right by the domain. When he feels like it he also makes a special Cuvée ‘Galilée’. This cuvée which is not released every year benefit from extra lees work during wintertime and is released later than the Villages. His diligent work in both the vineyards (sustainable culture using pheromones, ploughing with no use of fertilizers etc) and in the cellar (no use of chemical intrant, oak) make for wines that translate into a pure expression of racy Chablis. Frédéric does not seek any organic certification as he believes that respecting the environment should be the norm full stop. The quality price ratio here is undeniable!
Domaine Ghislain Kohut – Couchey -www.domaine-kohut.com
Ghislain is part of the new generation of winemakers who have helped grow the appellation by the quality of wines produced. The particularity of Ghislain wines lies in the fact that it wants to be able to offer wines that can start to be appreciated as soon as they are released on the market. This is refreshing when we start to see way too young Burgundy wines on restaurant tables. The wines are kept until 24 months for better integration between fruits and élevage. Whether white or red the wines are precise. Les Genelières wines display delicate notes whilst Les Champs Perdrix are more serious but all the wines reveal the complexity of their sites.
Domaine Henri Magnien – Gevrey Chambertin – www.henrimagnien.com
Charles Magnien took over in 1999, bringing to the Domaine an incredible momentum which means that today, we can not talk about Gevrey serious producers without considering Charles’ wines. Viticulture has been part of the Magnien family since the beginning of the 18th century and the Magniens have over the decades acquired plots on most renowned climats. Whether on the Lavaux St Jacques, Estournelles St Jacques, Cazetiers, Champeaux, and Ruchottes (the only producer with vines on both Haut and Bas Ruchottes), the wines of the domain are nowadays increasingly sought after. From the limited produced Bourgogne Pinot Noir Les Moutiers to the Villages all the way to the Cru Charles wines are making their marks are indisputably part of the top league.
DOMAINE DESAUNEY BISSEY – Vosne Romanée
Bruno Desaunay, with his father-in law, Daniel Bissey run this small family estate that have own several parcels of very old vines in Vosne (80 years), Echezeaux (110 years) Grands-Echezeaux (70 years), Chambolle (90 years), and Nuits St. Georges (60 years). Since 2007 Bruno uses no herbicides or pesticides, all the soil are tilled and Bruno’s winemaking is very terroir-expressive. He does short pre-fermentation maceration, using indigenous yeasts, and is not a fan of obtrusive winemaking technics nor of too much extraction. Ageing is spent in 1/3 new except and a tad more new oak for the Grands Crus depending on the vintages. The wines are neither fined nor filtered. The resulting wines are decidedly very Burgundy like very pure Pinot Noir fruits. They are perfumed and the balance between flavours and tannins is exquisite. We all know how hard it has become to find Vosne Romanée wines that offer wines with prices that are not over the odds…and if on top of that the style is beautifully Burgundy…Me I say…j’adore!!
Domaine Alain Michelot – Nuits Saint Georges – www.alainmichelot.com
Located right in the heart of the appellation, this family domain has been aptly run by Elodie Michelot for over two decades. Elodie represents the fourth generation. The vineyards spread over 7ha in Nuits-Saint-Georges and the family also owns just half a hectare in Morey Saint Denis. Since 2010, Elodie and his team have also been entrusted to look after a parcel and make wines from a most suitably located plot in Clos Vougeot. The style of the wines is a nice contrast to what the appelation has tended to offer over the last decades. With half the holdings in 1er Cru, the wines display all the attributes from such respected Climats and reflect their origins yet with grace and an quintessential harmony between fruits and structure. The tanins are beautifully integrated and the wines beautifully textured.
Domaine Rémi Jeanniard – Morey Saint Denis
A family estate of 6ha held by Rémi and his wife Maryse. After a stint working at Domaine Ponsot Rémi decided to concentrate on the family domain, making wines that reflect his personality ; discreet but certainly not lacking in self-confidence. Staying away from easy consensus the wines here are naturally elegant yet far from being fragile. The Ruchots are south of the appellation going towards Chambolled with vines nicely situated between the Clos de Tart and Les Bonnes Mares. The Ormes are further north when heading towards Gevrey.
DOMAINE VINCENT JEANNIARD – Pommard
The domain was created from scratch by Vincent back in 2012 after he graduated from the Dijon lycée viticole and following a few years gaining work experiences at esteemed domains such as Bouchard Père et Fils and De Montille. Vincent partly owns or works ‘en fermage’ vineyards that nowadays amount to 2,5 ha spread over different appellations. Currently in his first year of organic conversion, Vincent makes the wines with minimal intervention and the red wines are worked the same way as to best express the quality of each terroir. The wines are not fined, filtered and use of oak is kept to a maximum of 20%. The Bourgogne Pinot Noir is from vines form Pommard old vines. His Bourgogne Blanc Les Aures is one of the wine with Chardonnay planted in the Pommard appellation. His Hautes Cotes de Beaune vineyard is complanted with Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc giving welcomed vivacity in the wines. The Pommard wine is partly from les Petit Noizons parcels whilst the Savigny vines are from the reknown Les Planchots climat. A small domain expressing integrity.
DOMAINE JACQUES CARILLON
Puligny Montrachet –
Tradition is the watchword here – hardly surprising for a family that can trace its viticultural genealogy back to 1632.
After the 2009 vintage Louis Carillon’s two sons, Jacques and François, have decided to go their own ways. Jacques is the eldest of the two brothers and has a deep understanding of his vineyards. A humble man at heart, his wines reflect his personality in that they do not scream of winemaking artifices -making them probably less visible on the wine world scene- Nonetheless, Jacques’ domaine has been one of the most successful and consistent domaines in Puligny Montrachet over the last decades. The wines have a striking purity of fruit, are beautifully understated, and beautifully precise. When compared to the strength in depth to be found in Meursault and Chassagne, there are relatively few producers in the first division in Puligny. Some obvious names garner the mediatic attention, but the wines from Jacques Carillon are their equal and often the best of their type. A definite must have!
DOMAINE LUDOVIC ET EMILIEN BONNARDOT –
The two brothers Ludovic and Emilien joined forces in 2006. By the gradual recovery of vines in Côte and Hautes Côtes de Beaune, they naturally continued the work undertaken by their parents Elisabeth and Christophe who were already installed on the historic plots of the estate. After vinifying for 4 years on the family farm in Bonnencontre, they had the opportunity to settle in a winery in the heart of the vineyard, in Saint Aubin. Their aim is to perpetuate the history of this family of winegrowers established in Burgundy since 1470.
The domain is increasingly working their vineyards organically aiming to preserve the richness and the life of the soils. The average age of the vineyards is 40 years. Cordon de Royat (traditional pruning of Santenay and Maranges) and Guyot simple are the two pruning systems used in the vineyards. Manual harvest is in boxes with sorting of the grapes at reception. Vinification is traditional with 12 to 18 months aging in oak casks and natural settling in barrel, no filtration nor fining is carried out. The white wine are barrel fermented with aging from 12 to 22 months in oak casks, natural settling in barrel, light filtration before bottling. As much as possible no added sulfites is used at this domain.
MAISON JANOTSBOS – Meursault
Thierry Janots is French, and Richard Bos is Dutch. They met when studying oenology at Beaune back in the mid-90’s. Joining forces in 2005 to create their now respected négoce house JanotsBos. Thierry has been able to draw from his winemaking experience after working at numerous well-reputed domains in the CÔte d’Or whilst Richard who is also a trained winemaker looks after the vineyards to ensure that their contract growers work according to their strict quality standards.
DOMAINE SEBASTIEN MAGNIEN – Meursault
In his mid-thirties Sebastien Magnien has vinegrowing in his blood for he represents the fourth generation of vinegrowers. Whilst he initially founded the present domain with his mother, he now runs it with his wife; also a trained winemaker. This 12ha estate is located right in the heart of Meursault. Sebastien owns some well-sited Climats (lieux dits) in the appellation; Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint Romain and in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. His traditional approach to working the vineyards and working in the cellar make for a very pure and elegant expression of both his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Authentic wines for an authentic producer.
DOMAINE NINOT – Rully
The Ninot family have been either barrel makers or vignerons with a history dating back to the XIV century…but when Erell and Flavien Ninot’s father inherited the domain…He was only 14…with sheer determination and dedication to his land he succeeded in keeping the domain. Erell joined him and was recently seconded by his brother Flavien. Nowadays they run the domain with the same commitment to quality and respect to their terroir. Their 13 hectares domain is entirely converted to organic viticulture. A different style to JBPonsot wines which has also garnered a nice following with restaurateurs and amateurs alike for the wines exhibit a refreshing purity with mineral undertones for both colors.
DOMAINE JEAN BAPTISTE PONSOT – Rully
The domain was founded in 1954 by Lucien Ponsot. It was his son Bernard and today his grandson Jean- Baptiste that developed the domain gaining along the way a strong following for the quality of the wines across the range. Jean-Baptiste started to run the domain at the tender age of 20 but knew that quality was
the only way to go and that was by starting with meticulous work in the vineyards. He planted some vines in unexploited family parcels and nowadays works 8.5 hectares. Two third of which are 1er Cru in both colors. The wines are matured in oaked (up to 30% new depending on the year) for 12 months and up to 6 months in tanks before being released. The wines are beautifully crafted and have helped in getting the spotlight onto an appellation that has become a definite stop-by region in recent years.
DOMAINE GRAND –
Passenans
www.domaine-grand.plugwine.com
Emmanuel Grand had been working in the family domain since 1997 before he and his wife Nathalie decided in 2015 to create their own domain. They did not have to look far to get access to quality vines. Emmanuel great grandfather’s best Chardonnay vines were to become part of their vineyard holdings.
Long convinced of the benefits to work with the environment, they structured their domain to remain not only family managed but also to allow for an integral conversion to organic viticulture.
The domain spreads over the best communes Passenans, Saint-Lothain, Arbois, and Ménétru-le-Vignoble. The Côtes du Jura produces Trousseau Le Mont Royal on the marne soil. Chardonnay La Grande Chaude is to be found on the rare red marne. The Pinot Noir En Prêle benefits from a calcareous based soil giving elegance and fruitiness.
Arbois, the Jura wine capital produces here the Savagnin Naturé wines from grey marne. Both Ménétru-Le-Vignoble with its inspiring landscape and the appellation Lothain offer a richness in the soil that the domain greatly exploits to respectively make their Vin Jaune Château-Chalon et Vin Jaune Côtes du Jura. Both are signature wines of the Grand domain.
DOMAINE ROCHE GUILLON – Fleurie
www.rocheguillon.coperet.pagesperso-orange.fr
A family owned domain, making extremely satisfying wines from Gamay. Bruno and Valérie Coporet are the fourth generation at this domaine, owning 9 hectares of vines perfectly located right in the heart of the gentling rolling hills of Fleurie. This domain is enjoying a loyal following for its amiable yet uncompromised style. Fleurie La Tonne vinyeards is located between Moulin à Vent and Chiroubles. Subsoil granite, sandy soil with vines averaging 45 years old. Fleurie Clos de la Tour vines are on gently rolling hills with granite-based soil from 60 years old vines. The south-east facing exposure combined with an altitude of over 350 metres ensure the vines yield ripe enough grapes whilst retaining a delicate aroma and structure typical of the appellation.
DOMAINE DES NUGUES – Fleurie 
A different style of Beaujolais is produced here, with longer élevage adding savoury notes to the Cru wines whilst retaining the pure fruit style of Gamay. They also produce a very enticing white Beaujolais, a rarity in the appellation, with a quality that easily challenges some more expensive Chardonnay from their better known Burgundian neighbors further north.
DOMAINE GAGET – Morgon
A family domain run by Mikaël Gaget and located on the Côte du Py, one of the most reputed terroir of the Cru Morgon. The Côte de Py site is found in the south of Villié Morgon right above the hamlet de Haut Morgon. Withon only 358 m of elevation this site can produce wines of intense aromatic depth.