Pierre Vincent

The History of Pierre Vincent

Originally from Saône-et-Loire, Pierre Vincent grew up in a family of Charolais cattle farmers, nourished from childhood by a passion for living things, nature and the sciences. It was upon discovering the alchemy of the winemaker's craft that he directed his life towards wine. After training as an oenologist in 2000, he began his career and in 2006 became technical director of the Domaine de la Vougeraie, in Prémeaux-Prissey in the Côte de Nuits, where he honed his mastery of red wine vinification over ten years, notably through the use of whole-cluster harvesting. His wines quickly won universal acclaim: he won the title of Best Red Wine Vinifier at the International Wine Challenge in London twice, in 2010 and again in 2014. In 2017, he took the helm of the legendary Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, one of the most revered addresses of the Côte de Beaune, and produced eight vintages of absolutely benchmark white wines. In July 2023, the opportunity finally arose: alongside his partners Hervé Kratiroff and Éric Versini, and with the support of the Lyon-based group Solexia, he acquired the Domaine des Terres de Velle in Auxey-Duresses. The domaine was renamed in his honour, and the 2023 vintage, the first born under this new identity, immediately took its place among the great Burgundian references.

This project is born of a friendship and a shared dream: to bring together under one roof an exceptional viticultural heritage, inherited from old massal selections, and to elevate it through an oenological vision forged in contact with Burgundy's greatest terroirs. Pierre Vincent thus realises, at the age of 50, the ambition of a lifetime: to offer wines in his own image — of total purity, faithful witnesses to the terroir and vintage that gave them life.

Terroirs and Vines of Pierre Vincent

Domaine Pierre Vincent is built on a 7-hectare parcel spread across twenty different appellations of the Côte de Beaune. This heritage covers an impressive mosaic of terroirs, from Chassagne-Montrachet in the south all the way to the hill of Corton, Savigny-lès-Beaune and Auxey-Duresses in the north, passing through Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay and Monthélie. The vines, all derived from massal selections, have an average age of nearly 60 years, with some parcels among the oldest planted as far back as 1929. This rarity gives the estate a uniquely rich expressive range: each climat, each micro-terroir reveals its own personality, whether through the clay-limestone soils of Meursault, the calcareous scree of Puligny, or the marls and limestone of the Corton hill. The crowning jewel of the white varietals is undeniably the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, with 0.5 hectares split between the lieux-dits Le Charlemagne (south-west facing, earlier-ripening and generous) and En Charlemagne (fresher, more taut), parcels neighbouring those of Romanée-Conti and Coche-Dury.

The domaine's viticultural approach is grounded in the principles of biodynamics — without certification to date — with the objective of obtaining organic certification. The soils are tilled and grassed over, with inputs reduced to the strict minimum. Pierre Vincent carefully follows the lunar calendar, the seasons and climatic conditions to guide all viticultural practices. Pruning is carried out in the Royat cordon method, overseen by Italian master pruners Simonit and Sirch, with the aim of preserving the longevity of the old vines and ensuring the best vegetative balance. Harvesting is exclusively manual, with systematic sorting both in the vineyard and in the winery, and the choice of harvest date is guided by rigorous monitoring of ripeness.

Winemaking at Pierre Vincent

At the cellar in Auxey-Duresses, Pierre Vincent practises a parcel-by-parcel, minimalist winemaking approach, in a spirit of deliberate non-intervention. For the whites, the grapes, harvested in 12 kg crates, are sorted and then directed straight to the pneumatic press without prior crushing, to preserve aromatic freshness and the integrity of the fruit. After settling in stainless steel tanks, the musts go into barrel for alcoholic fermentation, with a deliberately high level of lees. Pierre Vincent practises bâtonnage between alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation. Ageing takes place predominantly in used barrels, with a growing proportion of ceramic amphorae and very few new barrels, so as to preserve the pure expression of the terroir. After approximately twelve months in barrel, the wines move to stainless steel tanks for a further six months before bottling — a step Pierre Vincent considers essential to ensure the clarity and final harmony of the wines.

For the reds, the domaine favours whole-cluster harvesting (50% on average depending on the cuvée), a technique inherited from his years at the Domaine de la Vougeraie, which lends the wines fine tannins, a characteristic freshness and a silky texture without astringency. Extraction is gentle, by infusion rather than by heavy punch-downs. Ageing in used barrels aims, here again, to let the fruit and the place express themselves without any woody mask. Total production of the domaine is around 30,000 bottles per year, spread across some twenty micro-cuvées, some of which do not exceed 900 bottles. Each cuvée is an exercise in goldsmith-level precision, reflecting the haute couture philosophy its maker espouses.

The Cuvées of Pierre Vincent

Bourgogne Aligoté: Sourced from two parcels located in Auxey-Duresses (Sous le Châtelet and Les Fontaines de Moule), planted between 1932 and 1962 — old vines of over 85 years of age. This Bourgogne Aligoté surprises with its saline minerality, its citrus-driven tension and its remarkable vivacity. Part of it is aged in ceramic amphorae, lending the wine a purity and freshness that make it one of the most accomplished expressions of this grape variety in the Côte de Beaune.

Bourgogne Les Pellans (Bourgogne Blanc): This single-parcel Bourgogne Blanc comes from old Chardonnay vines planted in 1955 and is aged with approximately 15% new oak barrels. From the very entry level, the wine reveals a creamy generosity and a purity of fruit that far exceed its regional appellation status. Notes of citrus, mineral tension and remarkable length make it a genuine introduction to the Pierre Vincent style.

Bourgogne Chardonnay: A blend of Chardonnay from parcels across the Côte de Beaune, this regional wine expresses with clarity the signature of the domaine: clean fruit, a fresh and balanced palate, and restrained ageing to allow the terroir to express itself fully. An accessible entry point into the world of Pierre Vincent's white wines.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: This red Bourgogne is crafted from Pinot Noir sourced from three distinct parcels planted between 1951 and 1972, located in Corpeau, Volnay and Meursault. Vinified with gentle extraction and aged in used barrels, it reveals a delicate fruit, silky tannins and a freshness characteristic of the domaine's style. A fine introduction to the reds of Pierre Vincent.

Auxey-Duresses Les Closeaux (red): Produced from old Pinot Noir vines planted in 1955, with 40% whole-cluster, this village wine displays beautiful gentle spice, a supple palate and an airy texture. A thirst-quenching and elegant red, firmly rooted in the terroir of Auxey-Duresses, at the gates of Meursault.

Auxey-Duresses Les Hautés (white or red): A cuvée from the heights of Auxey-Duresses, Les Hautés reveals the distinctive personality of this often underestimated village. Vinified with the same parcel-by-parcel care as the domaine's other cuvées, it combines freshness, clean fruit and beautiful minerality.

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (white): One of the rare white Premiers Crus of Savigny, this wine impresses with its chiselled verticality, its powdery mineral imprint, its fine-grained texture with floral and citrus accents. Some enthusiasts compare it to the finest upper-slope Premiers Crus of Puligny-Montrachet. A revelation of the collection.

Chassagne-Montrachet La Platière (white): This village wine from a fine parcel of Chassagne-Montrachet expresses all the generosity of the terroir in the south of the Côte de Beaune. Notes of ripe white fruits, an ample texture and a saline finish, with that natural restraint and subtlety that give the domaine's whites their grace.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées (white): From old Chardonnay vines planted between 1989 and 1999 on predominantly limestone soils with an easterly exposure, this Premier Cru delivers a precise and taut expression of the Chassagne terroir. Manual harvesting, systematic sorting and minimalist winemaking for a wine of exceptional purity.

Puligny-Montrachet (village, white): After eight vintages at Domaine Leflaive, Pierre Vincent knows the terroir of Puligny better than anyone. His Puligny-Montrachet village wine, sourced from old vines at the foot of Les Referts and Les Perrières, is a luminous introduction to the appellation: finesse, diaphanous brilliance, mineral tension and an impressionistic serenity that captivates enthusiasts.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts (white): From old vines planted in 1949 near the parcel of Arnaud Ente, this Premier Cru is a model of outstanding elegance. Poised and balanced, it combines restrained power, deep minerality and a remarkable length on the palate. One of the domaine's emblematic cuvées.

Meursault Les Luchets (white): This Meursault village wine reveals delicate floral notes and refined minerality, a faithful reflection of the prestige of the Meursault terroir. Vinified with sobriety, it expresses the freshness and precision that characterise the domaine's entire white range.

Meursault Les Crotots (white): Creamy and well-centred on the palate, with a fine acidity that envelops the mouth, Les Crotots is a well-crafted Meursault village wine. Balance, depth and ripe fruit make it an immediately seductive wine, in an elegant rather than opulent style.

Meursault Les Grands Charrons (white): An absolute gem of the domaine, this Meursault village wine comes from a vine planted in 1929, one of the oldest on the estate. Impressive concentration, aromatic richness, generous texture and exceptional length: this wine outclasses many Premiers Crus and stands as one of the finest bottles in the collection — a truly emotional wine.

Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes (white): From a parcel planted as far back as 1936, this Premier Cru delivers an ample and majestic expression. Fuller-bodied than the village wines, it carries its weight with lightness, combining the expected richness of Les Charmes with the freshness that is Pierre Vincent's hallmark. Aged in used barrels and amphorae for a result of exceptional purity.

Monthélie Les Sous-Roches (red): A village cuvée from the vines of Monthélie, Les Sous-Roches offers a fresh and fruity Pinot Noir with a delicate tannic framework. Vinified with care and aged in used barrels, this wine bears witness to the domaine's fine ability to elevate the lesser-known appellations of the Côte de Beaune.

Monthélie 1er Cru Les Duresses (red): Vinified with 50% whole-cluster, this red Premier Cru combines fruit depth with tannic finesse. More structured than the village wine, it displays an elegant character with beautiful richness on the palate, a worthy representative of the Monthélie appellation at the peak of its expression.

Volnay Ez Blanches (red): Produced from old Pinot Noir vines from 1959, situated at the top of the slope and vinified with 50% whole-cluster, this Volnay village wine stands out for its aromatic complexity, its peppery freshness and its fruit depth. Ez Blanches borders Monthélie at 350 metres of altitude and yields a wine of remarkable personality — at once airy and flavourful.

Volnay 1er Cru Le Ronceret (red): Neighbouring Champans, this Premier Cru from Volnay is the most structured red wine of the domaine. Dense fruit, firm backbone and impressive depth characterise this cuvée made with 50% whole-cluster. With time, Le Ronceret should establish itself as a benchmark of the Volnay appellation.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (white): The pinnacle of the white range, this Grand Cru comes from two complementary parcels totalling 0.5 hectares: Le Charlemagne (south-west facing, planted in 1966, bringing body and richness) and En Charlemagne (fresher, planted in 1947, bringing tension and minerality). The result is a wine of great stature, at once full-bodied, creamy and melting, with a powerful underlying minerality and a length that is the hallmark of Burgundy's greatest terroirs. An exceptional cuvée, produced in just a few hundred bottles.