Pierre Vincent

History of Domaine Pierre Vincent

Originally from Saône-et-Loire, Pierre Vincent grew up in a family of Charolais cattle farmers, nurtured 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 turned his life towards wine. After training as an oenologist in 2000, he began his career and in 2006 became technical director of Domaine de la Vougeraie in Prémeaux-Prissey in the Côte de Nuits, where he spent ten years honing his mastery of red wine vinification, notably through the use of whole-cluster harvesting. His wines quickly achieved unanimous acclaim: he twice won the title of Best Red Wine Vinifier at the International Wine Challenge in London, 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 on the Côte de Beaune, and produced eight vintages of whites of absolute reference. 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 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 references of Burgundy.

This project was born from 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. At the age of 50, Pierre Vincent thus realises 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 Domaine Pierre Vincent

Domaine Pierre Vincent is built upon 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, taking in Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay and Monthélie along the way. The vines, all derived from massal selections, have an average age of close to 60 years, with some of the oldest plots dating back to 1929. This rarity endows the domaine with a uniquely rich expressiveness: each climat, each micro-terroir reveals its own personality, whether it be the clay-limestone soils of Meursault, the limestone scree of Puligny, or the marls and limestone of the hill of Corton. The undisputed jewel of the white grape varieties is the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, with 0.5 hectares spread between the lieux-dits Le Charlemagne (south-westerly exposure, earlier-ripening and more generous) and En Charlemagne (fresher, more tense), plots neighbouring those of the Romanée-Conti and Coche-Dury.

The domaine's viticultural approach is grounded in the principles of biodynamics — without certification to date — with the goal of obtaining organic certification. The soils are worked and covered with grass, with inputs reduced to a strict minimum. Pierre Vincent closely follows the lunar calendar, the seasons and climatic conditions to guide all viticultural practices. Pruning is carried out using the Royat cordon method, guided by Italian master pruners Simonit and Sirch, with the aim of preserving the longevity of the old vines and ensuring the best possible 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 grape maturity.

Vinifications of Domaine Pierre Vincent

At the cellar in Auxey-Duresses, Pierre Vincent practises parcel-by-parcel, minimalist winemaking in a deliberate spirit of non-intervention. For the whites, the grapes, harvested in 12 kg crates, are sorted and then directed straight to the pneumatic press without any prior crushing, in order to preserve the aromatic freshness and integrity of the fruit. After settling in a stainless steel tank, the musts are transferred to barrel for alcoholic fermentation, with a deliberately high level of lees. Pierre Vincent carries out bâtonnage between alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Ageing takes place predominantly in used barrels, with a growing proportion of ceramic amphoras and very little new oak, so as to preserve the pure expression of the terroir. After approximately twelve months in barrel, the wines are transferred to stainless steel tanks for a further six months before bottling — a step Pierre Vincent considers essential to guarantee 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 the years spent at Domaine de la Vougeraie, which lends the wines fine tannins, a characteristic freshness and a silky texture free from astringency. Extraction is gentle, by infusion rather than by vigorous punch-down. Ageing in used barrels aims, once again, to allow the fruit and the place to express themselves without any woody mask. The domaine's total production is approximately 30,000 bottles per year, spread across around twenty micro-cuvées, some of which do not exceed 900 bottles. Each cuvée is an exercise in the most precise craftsmanship, in keeping with the haute couture philosophy its author proudly upholds.

The cuvées of Domaine Pierre Vincent

Bourgogne Aligoté: Sourced from two plots located in Auxey-Duresses (Sous le Châtelet and Les Fontaines de Moule), planted between 1932 and 1962 — making them old vines of over 85 years. This Bourgogne Aligoté surprises with its saline minerality, its lemony tension and its remarkable vivacity. Part of the wine is aged in ceramic amphoras, 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 is sourced from old Chardonnay vines planted in 1955 and aged with approximately 15% new oak. From the entry level, the wine reveals a creamy generosity and a purity of fruit that far surpasses its regional appellation status. Notes of citrus, mineral tension and remarkable length make it a true introduction to the Pierre Vincent style.

Bourgogne Chardonnay: A blend of Chardonnay sourced from plots across the Côte de Beaune, this regional wine clearly expresses the domaine's signature: clean fruit, a fresh and balanced palate, and discreet ageing that allows the terroir to speak for itself. An accessible entry point into the world of Pierre Vincent's white wines.

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

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

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

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (white): One of the rare white Premier 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 hillside Premier Crus of Puligny-Montrachet. A revelation of the collection.

Chassagne-Montrachet La Platière (white): This village wine from a fine plot in Chassagne-Montrachet expresses all the generosity of the terroir in the southern part 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. Hand harvesting, systematic sorting and minimalist winemaking yield a wine of great purity.

Puligny-Montrachet (village, white): After eight vintages at Domaine Leflaive, Pierre Vincent knows the terroir of Puligny better than anyone. His village Puligny-Montrachet, sourced from old vines situated 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 Arnaud Ente's plot, this Premier Cru is a model of unrivalled elegance. Poised and balanced, it combines restrained power, deep minerality and a remarkable length on the palate. One of the domaine's most emblematic cuvées.

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

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

Meursault Les Grands Charrons (white): The absolute gem of the domaine, this village Meursault 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 a Premier Cru and stands as one of the finest bottles in the collection — a truly emotion-stirring wine.

Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes (white): From a plot planted as early as 1936, this Premier Cru delivers an ample and majestic expression. More full-bodied than the village wines, it carries its weight with lightness, combining the richness expected of Les Charmes with the freshness that is Pierre Vincent's hallmark. Aged in used barrels and amphoras for a result of great 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. Carefully vinified and aged in used barrels, this wine demonstrates the domaine's remarkable ability to sublimate 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 depth of fruit with tannic finesse. More structured than the village wine, it displays an elegant character with a beautiful richness on the palate, a worthy representative of the Monthélie appellation at the height of its expression.

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

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

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