Marchand Grillot

History of Domaine Marchand-Grillot

The history of Domaine Marchand-Grillot begins with the meeting of two families deeply rooted in the Burgundy vineyard. The Marchands, established in Morey-Saint-Denis, and the Grillots, originally from Gevrey-Chambertin, united their destinies and their vines in 1950, giving birth to this estate that would cross the decades while preserving an intact philosophy: to produce wines of pleasure, faithful to their terroir, that are shared with family or friends, far from ephemeral trends.

Since then, the property has continued to grow and be passed down through seven generations of winemakers, each contributing to the construction of this identity. Today, it is Étienne Marchand who oversees the vinification, making his first harvest in 2009 under the watchful eye of his father and an oenologist friend, assisted since 2015 by his sister Marion, who, after an academic career and a life as a globe-trotter, joined the estate to manage the administrative and commercial aspects.

Together, they embody a new generation that knows how to combine family heritage with contemporary demands. Their commitment is evident at every stage of the winemaking process: in the selection of inherited parcels, in the care given to the vines, and in the rigor of a vinification entirely mastered at the estate.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Marchand-Grillot

The vineyard of Domaine Marchand-Grillot extends over 12 hectares composed of 50 parcels with geological profiles as varied as they are complementary. This mosaic of terroirs, typically Burgundian, is one of the great assets of the estate and one of the keys to understanding the diversity of its cuvées.

In Gevrey-Chambertin, the estate's historic birthplace, the clay-limestone and marly soils offer the structure and depth that characterize the great reds of this appellation. The Grand Cru Ruchottes-Chambertin, the Premiers Crus Petite Chapelle and La Perrière, as well as village lieu-dits such as En Jouise, Le Créot or the emblematic Champerrier Vigne Centenaire compose a collection of climats of rare richness. The Champerrier vineyard, planted in 1903 on a parcel of only 0.3 hectares, is in this respect a living treasure: since 2020, the estate has been drawing its own grafts from it through mass selection, thus perpetuating a century-old genetic heritage.

In Morey-Saint-Denis, neighboring between the power of Gevrey and the finesse of Chambolle, the clay-limestone soils favor wines with a broad aromatic palette, both fruity and spicy. In Chambolle-Musigny, the marly and clay-limestone terroirs give birth to wines of remarkable floral elegance. Finally, the parcels of Gilly-lès-Cîteaux and Brochon, with their marly and sandy soils, complete the ensemble with accessible, gourmet and very fragrant cuvées.

For more than 25 years, the estate has practiced sustainable and bio-sourced viticulture, banning unnecessary treatments, working the soils mechanically and favoring biodiversity between the rows. Harvests are entirely carried out by hand by a team of experienced harvesters, guaranteeing rigorous sorting and selection of only ripe and healthy grapes.

Vinifications at Domaine Marchand-Grillot

Vinification at Domaine Marchand-Grillot is Étienne's responsibility, an attentive and precise winemaker, guided by a strong conviction: wine is made in the vineyard, and the cellar must accompany without ever distorting. This philosophy translates into an entirely natural vinification approach, without the addition of any inputs.

Upon arrival in the winery, the sorted grapes undergo a cold pre-fermentation skin maceration for about a week. This step allows for gentle extraction of primary aromas and precious phenolic compounds even before fermentation begins. Fermentation starts naturally, thanks to indigenous yeasts present in the vineyard and in the cellar walls: no yeast addition, no artificial inoculation.

Alcoholic fermentation is then carefully conducted through two gentle and controlled techniques: punching down and pumping over, which are even gentler and favor a progressive and respectful extraction. No oenological products are added to the vats.

This is followed by aging in oak barrels for a maximum of 18 months. The barrels come from two carefully chosen coopers: Tonnellerie Rousseau, an artisanal house based in Gevrey-Chambertin, and Tonnellerie Hermitage, located in La Charité-sur-Loire. Stockingers and Billons complete the barrel inventory, allowing the influence of wood to be modulated according to the appellations and the profile of each cuvée. The objective of this aging is not to mark the wines, but to bring them balance, integration and aging potential, with the greatest respect for each terroir.

The Cuvées of Domaine Marchand-Grillot

Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Treasure of the range, the Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru is the most accomplished expression of the estate's work. This Grand Cru from the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation, planted on filtered limestone soils with almost mineral nuances, produces a wine of great elegance. On the nose, it unfolds complex aromas of ripe black fruits, faded rose and fine spices, enhanced by a characteristic touch of undergrowth. The palate is structured, silky, with impressive length. A wine for aging par excellence, capable of flourishing over ten to twenty years and beyond.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "Petite Chapelle"

Located just below the grand cru belt, the 1er Cru Petite Chapelle benefits from marls rich in fossils that give the wine a silky texture and particular delicacy. The nose is very Pinot Noir, open on stone fruit enhanced with light notes of violet. The palate is distinguished by its length and a gently smooth finish, remarkably silky. A Premier Cru that can please young but will gain in complexity and density over fifteen years.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru "La Perrière"

Planted on a hard limestone substrate, La Perrière produces a wine that is more taut and mineral than its neighbor Petite Chapelle. The acid structure is more present, the profile more upright and incisive, with a tight palate that opens magnificently after a few years of aging. A terroir wine in the most authentic sense of the term.

Gevrey-Chambertin "Champerrier Vigne Centenaire"

Made from vines planted in 1903 on the lieu-dit Champerrier, this exceptional wine is the fruit of more than century-old vines, whose roots explore the soil to depths of several meters. The result is a remarkable natural concentration, a rare aromatic complexity and a depth of expression that belongs only to old vines. Notes of candied red fruits, blond tobacco and wet stone, with a velvety and persistent palate. 

Gevrey-Chambertin "En Jouise"

En Jouise is one of the three lieu-dits of the commune worked by the estate. Planted on the alluvial cone of Gevrey-Chambertin, this village wine expresses a smooth and charming profile, accessible from its youth but endowed with true complexity. Crisp red fruits, sweet spices, round and well-balanced palate.

Gevrey-Chambertin "Le Créot"

Another lieu-dit of the commune, Le Créot offers a fruitier and more direct profile, with a gourmet palate, silky tannins and a beautiful overall freshness. 

Gevrey-Chambertin Village

The estate's Gevrey-Chambertin Village is a blended wine from different parcels of the commune, characterized by its aromas of spices and cherry, its beautiful structure and its typical balance. Fresh, precise, very much in the style of the appellation.

Morey-Saint-Denis

The estate's Morey-Saint-Denis benefits from a unique geographical position between its illustrious neighbors Gevrey and Chambolle, which gives it a particularly generous aromatic palette. The cuvée reveals a bouquet of wild black fruits and morello cherry, a beautiful floral touch of lilac, and full-bodied notes of blond tobacco, nutmeg and clove. The palate is balanced, velvety, with a beautiful tannic texture. 

Chambolle-Musigny

The marly and clay-limestone soils favor aromas of great floral finesse combined with notes of delicate red fruits. The palate is slender, silky, endowed with refreshing acidity and a persistent finish. A wine of pure charm, to be enjoyed both in its youth and over five to ten years.