Clarisse de Suremain

History of Domaine Clarisse de Suremain

The story of Clarisse de Suremain is one of a twofold passion pursued with rare elegance. Born to a banker father and a violinist mother, and from a great Burgundian winegrowing family (her grandparents were winegrowers, her uncle today runs the celebrated Domaine Eric de Suremain in Monthélie), she began her journey by attending the Lyon conservatory of music in parallel with a business school, INSEEC. A professional pianist, she then worked for two years in telecom engineering consultancy in Nantes and Paris, before leaving everything behind in 2015 to become a winegrower, faithful to the call of her native land.

She then trained in Beaune in viticulture and oenology until 2017, before joining the team at Château de Puligny-Montrachet under the responsibility of David Didon, a local figure in biodynamics, until 2019. She completed her apprenticeship at Athénaïs de Béru and with Thomas Pico in Chablis. In 2019, following the death of her grandfather Bernard, she inherited a quarter of a hectare of Pinot Noir in Monthélie, and in the same year acquired 1.15 hectares of Coteaux Bourguignons in the plain of Pommard as well as a lease on 0.5 hectares of Aligoté in the lower slopes of Volnay. She signed her first vintage in 2020, launched organic certification with Ecocert, and in 2022 moved into a new cellar in Maranges.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Clarisse de Suremain

The vineyard of Clarisse de Suremain extends over just over one hectare of estate-owned vines, fragmented into a few small, little-known plots spread across the communes of Pommard, Volnay and Monthélie. The main grape varieties cultivated are Pinot Noir, Gamay, Aligoté and Chardonnay, on clay-limestone soils characteristic of the Côte de Beaune. In addition to the estate vines, a tailor-made négociant activity complements the range: Clarisse purchases grapes or juice from winegrowers she has tasted and admires, in particular in Chablis from Thomas Pico, as well as from various appellations of the Côte d'Or (Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses, Hautes Côtes de Beaune).

All of the estate's vines are farmed organically, currently in conversion to biodynamics. Clarisse ensures that each plot receives tailored care, according to its needs, so as to allow the personality of each terroir to express itself fully. She also closely follows innovative projects, such as the experimental planting of the teroldego grape variety (an Italian cousin of Pinot Noir) in Sampigny, in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, in partnership with the Italian town of Mezzolombardo, as part of an approach to adapting to climate change.

Winemaking at Domaine Clarisse de Suremain

In the cellar, established since 2022 in Maranges, Clarisse de Suremain practises a low-intervention winemaking approach, true to her pursuit of purity and precision. Harvesting is entirely manual, and the grapes arrive at the cellar for gentle extractions and spontaneous fermentations on indigenous yeasts. The winemaker rejects any natural dogma, but her cuvées are all vinified with very little or no sulphur, sometimes only a light touch at bottling, to preserve digestibility and drinkability.

Ageing takes place in oak barrels with no new wood, in 450- and 500-litre containers that provide ideal oxygenation without marking the wine. "It has to smell of fruit", she likes to say. The duration varies according to the cuvée: approximately nine months for the Aligoté, approximately one year for the reds. Malolactic fermentations are systematic. This musical approach (wine lovers enjoy seeing in her background as a pianist a particular sensitivity to nuance and balance) gives rise to serious, transparent, elegant wines built for contemplation rather than power.

The Cuvées of Domaine Clarisse de Suremain

Aligoté L'Arpète (Vin de France): The estate's white signature wine, this 100% Aligoté comes from a leased plot in the lower slopes of Volnay. Vinified without any inputs, this wine stands out for its vivacity, its chalky salinity and its beautiful finish carried by lovely bitter citrus notes. A magnificent rehabilitation of the grape variety, fresh, invigorating and gourmand, with a surprisingly persistent length.

Coteaux Bourguignons Les Noces: An emblematic cuvée from 1.15 hectares of Coteaux Bourguignons in the plain of Pommard, planted with Gamay and Pinot Noir. The wine captivates with its crunchy freshness, its vibrant red fruit, its suppleness and its drinkability. The silky tannic structure and the absence (or near-absence) of sulphur confer a superb drinkability.

Chorey-lès-Beaune Rouge: A village Pinot Noir from an appellation dear to Clarisse, which she considers underrated. The wine offers an elegant expression of Pinot Noir with aromas of fresh red fruits, a fine palate and beautiful freshness, in an airy and thirst-quenching style.

Beaune Vieilles Vignes: A gourmand and intense Pinot Noir, reflecting the character of the old vines of the Beaune appellation. Delicate aromas of redcurrant and raspberry, dense and elegant, silky texture, remarkable balance, long and fine finish. A cuvée regularly compared by enthusiasts to the wines of Michel Lafarge or Wasenhaus for its infused style and refinement.

Monthélie Les Sous Cours: A family cuvée from a plot of Pinot Noir taken over in Monthélie following the death of her grandfather Bernard. Brilliant ruby colour, an open and expressive nose of strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant, accompanied by floral notes, subtly noble vegetal hints and delicate spice. The palate is refined, lightly extracted, silky, fresh and gourmand, in the pure infused style of the estate.

Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc: A Chardonnay from this discreet and high-quality appellation neighbouring Corton. The wine stands out for its minerality, its aromas of citrus and white flowers, its taut and precise palate, a testament to the winemaker's refined and precise style.

Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc: A Chardonnay from the heights of the Côte de Beaune, fresh, balanced, marked by white fruits and lovely vivacity, accessible and pleasant from its youth.

Chablis: A négociant cuvée crafted from grapes selected in Thomas Pico's vineyard in Chablis. On Kimmeridgian soils rich in marine fossils, this Chablis wonderfully expresses the typicity of the terroir: aromas of citrus and white flowers, a fine iodine touch, a taut, saline palate of great precision, fresh and persistent finish.