Alex Moreau

History of Domaine Alex Moreau

The history of Domaine Alex Moreau is rooted in the early nineteenth century, when the ancestor Auguste Moreau had the family cellar built in Chassagne-Montrachet, right across from the famous Premier Cru La Maltroie. Over the generations, the Moreau family has nurtured a heritage of old vines among the most coveted in the Côte de Beaune. Under the impetus of Bernard Moreau, the estate, then known as Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils, reached the pinnacle of the appellation, producing prodigious whites of concentration, finesse and purity.

Alexandre, Bernard's eldest son, joined the estate in 1995. Alongside his father and his brother Benoît, he contributed to the continuous elevation of quality over twenty-five years. In 2020, following Benoît's departure to create his own estate and the division of the family vineyards, Alexandre took sole control of the operation, henceforth renamed Domaine Alex Moreau. Supported by his wife Martine, he continues the family work on a vineyard that has once again become very small (less than 6 hectares). Under his leadership, the 2023 vintage was hailed as one of the estate's finest achievements of the last decade, confirming Alex Moreau's status among the new essential references of Chassagne.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Alex Moreau

The vineyard of Domaine Alex Moreau extends over less than 6 hectares, located exclusively in the communes of Chassagne-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin, at the heart of the Côte de Beaune. It encompasses some of the finest Premiers Crus of Chassagne, including Les Chenevottes, La Maltroie, Morgeot and Les Grandes Ruchottes, as well as prestigious Grands Crus such as Bâtard-Montrachet and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. The soils, predominantly clay-limestone, sometimes stony and shallow (notably in Les Fairendes), offer Chardonnay an ideal setting to express its full minerality.

The estate also has a few plots planted with Pinot Noir, notably old vines planted between 1960 and 1965 below the climat Les Pierres, from which Alex Moreau crafts a delicate Chassagne-Montrachet rouge. In the vineyard, the philosophy is centered on soil health and yield control: plowing, organic fertilizers, short pruning, disbudding, green harvesting and viticulture conducted according to uncertified organic farming. Harvests are done by hand, with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and at the winery to retain only perfectly ripe and healthy grapes.

Vinifications of Domaine Alex Moreau

In the winery, Alex Moreau favors delicate handling and minimal intervention, to preserve the full typicity of the terroir. For the whites, the grapes are direct-pressed, followed by settling in tank for 48 hours, then transferred to barrel for fermentation and aging. Aging lasts from 12 to 18 months (sometimes up to 20 months) in oak barrels, without racking or lees stirring, in order to preserve the natural carbon dioxide for as long as possible. The proportion of new wood is deliberately controlled: around 20% on average for the Premiers Crus, up to 100% for the Grands Crus with light toasting to avoid any oaky imprint. A final fining of 1 to 3 months in stainless steel tanks allows the lees to settle.

For the reds, vinification is equally respectful, with gentle extractions and aging of approximately 15 months in barrels. The wines are bottled at the estate without filtration, in order to preserve their texture, their transparency and their terroir expression. This patient and demanding approach, which places its trust above all in the grape and in natural balance, gives birth to serene, harmonious and elegant wines — intense and chiseled, built for aging.

The Cuvées of Domaine Alex Moreau

Bourgogne Blanc: An accessible Chardonnay, aged in older barrels then blended in tank, a frank and fresh expression of the grape variety, marked by notes of citrus and white flowers, a perfect reflection of the house's exacting standards.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: A luscious and silky red wine, fruity and elegant, ideal for discovering the Alex Moreau style at a reasonable price.

Chassagne-Montrachet Village (white): The estate's historic cuvée, with an ample and rich texture, underpinned by a fresh and delicate mineral tension. Notes of white flowers, candied citrus and yellow fruits, on a persistent and refined finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Vieilles Vignes: Pinot Noir sourced from vines planted between 1960 and 1965, below the climat Les Pierres. A wine of great delicacy, marked by aromas of fresh red fruits, peonies, dried flowers and light spice notes. Velvety, taut palate, persistent saline finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie: A sensuous Premier Cru with a rare balance between aromatic intensity and the fresh, airy character typical of the Moreau style. A sapid, sappy, elegant and vertical wine, very long on the palate, endowed with a powerful peppery energy.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes: An elegant Premier Cru, combining tension, floral freshness, lactic sensuality and fruity generosity. Stony and floral aromas, a direct, mineral palate growing in intensity, vibrant and spicy finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot: The most extensive and one of the most renowned Premiers Crus of the appellation. Sourced from an old vine in Les Fairendes, just below Les Grandes Ruchottes and at the southern end of the appellation, this Morgeot offers a sublime balance between tension and roundness, very distinct floral and stony mineral notes, and a textured depth almost reminiscent of a Bâtard-Montrachet.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes: The estate's jewel on 0.35 hectares, planted on clay-limestone soils on the south-eastern heights of Chassagne. 100% Chardonnay vinified by direct pressing, aged 15 months in barrels (maximum 20% new) then 3 months in tanks. A chiseled, multidimensional wine of impressive concentration, with a distinguished acidity and a persistent saline finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers: A Premier Cru of silky depth and concentrated fruit (warm lemon, mineral notes), a dense and taut palate, long and precise finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse: A little-known Premier Cru sourced from the south of the appellation, with a dense substance, stony minerality and an elegant structure. A wine for aging with remarkable aromatic complexity.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gains: A thoroughbred Premier Cru situated on the heights of the appellation, marked by its limestone tension, notes of citrus, flint and white fruits.

Saint-Aubin: A white village cuvée sourced from the family plots in Saint-Aubin, with a sharp freshness, notes of citrus, green apple and the taut minerality typical of the appellation.

Puligny-Montrachet: A refined white wine of remarkable aromatic purity, with a slender mineral backbone and a long, precise finish.

Meursault Les Vireuils: A village lieu-dit of Meursault, with a rich and buttery substance, marked by aromas of toasted hazelnut, ripe white fruits and a touch of almond.

Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes: A red Premier Cru of the Côte de Beaune, with a mineral and fruity structure, marked by notes of cherry, violet and soft spices, on a deep and refined palate.

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru: An iconic Grand Cru, produced in very limited quantities (a few barrels per year), aged in new barrels (100%) with a light toasting. An exceptional wine combining power, depth, aromatic complexity and saline minerality.

Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru: An exceptionally rare Grand Cru sourced from one of the smallest Grands Crus in Burgundy. A precise, chiseled wine with crystalline tension and infinite length.

Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru: An exceptional Grand Cru produced in extremely limited quantities, of absolute purity, with mineral verticality and breathtaking persistence.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: A white Grand Cru from the Corton hillside, combining the majestic power of the terroir with the finesse and precision that are the hallmark of Alex Moreau — a wine of very long aging potential.