Lou Dumont

History of Domaine Lou Dumont

The Lou Dumont adventure begins in Tokyo in the 1990s, when the young sommelier Koji Nakada developed a passion for Burgundy wines. In 1996, he left Japan to settle in Beaune and follow an oenology course at the CFPPA. During his French classes in Dijon, he met Jae Hwa Park, a Korean student who has since become his wife. After several internships at Château Kirwan in Bordeaux, then in small houses in Champagne and Alsace, and a stint at Bouchard Aîné and Mommessin, Koji acquired an in-depth knowledge of the great French vineyards.

In 2000, Koji and Jae Hwa founded Maison Lou Dumont in Gevrey-Chambertin, a micro-négociant of artisanal spirit entirely devoted to quality. The name Lou Dumont combines the first name of their goddaughter, Lou, and the French word "mont", a nod to the mountainous landscapes of their respective childhoods. The label features three Japanese characters meaning sky, earth and man, the very symbol of the notion of terroir. In 2012, the couple took a major step: they acquired their first plots, including a century-old Aligoté vine, a parcel of Bourgogne rouge and a coveted plot in Gevrey-Chambertin.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Lou Dumont

Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Maison Lou Dumont works with grapes sourced 90% from the Côte de Nuits, as well as prestigious appellations from the Côte de Beaune such as Corton, Pommard, Meursault, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune and Ladoix. The estate relies on a network of carefully selected growers, cultivating their vines organically or according to similar principles. Some of the grapes for the Bourgogne rouge even come from a biodynamic vineyard in the Côte Chalonnaise.

Koji Nakada imposes a strict minimum age of 30 years for the vines used, a guarantee of concentration and depth. Some plots, such as the lieu-dit La Platière in Gevrey-Chambertin, are home to vines of over 75 years old. This mosaic of terroirs, from the calcareous and marly soils of the Côte de Nuits to the clay-limestone of the Côte de Beaune, allows Lou Dumont to offer a range of appellations spanning from a modest Bourgogne to Grand Cru, by way of numerous Villages and Premiers Crus.

Winemaking at Lou Dumont

In the cellar, Koji Nakada advocates a deliberately minimalist winemaking approach, in the purest Burgundian tradition. Harvesting is done by hand, the berries carefully sorted, then vinified with indigenous yeasts, without industrial inoculation. Punch-downs and pump-overs are limited to the strict minimum, so as to achieve gentle extractions, favouring finesse over power. Sulphur doses are deliberately reduced, both during ageing and at bottling.

Ageing takes place in French oak barrels, with a controlled proportion of new wood so as never to mask the fruit. The wines are bottled without fining or excessive filtration, in order to preserve their texture, aromatic transparency and fidelity to the terroir. This patient, almost contemplative philosophy, inherited from the Japanese perspective on craftsmanship, gives Lou Dumont's cuvées their recognisable signature: elegance, purity, balance and a rare drinkability.

The Cuvées of Lou Dumont

Bourgogne Rouge: an entry-level cuvée made primarily from Pinot Noir, vinified with the same rigour as the superior crus. It stands out for its vibrant fruit, fine tannins and freshness typical of the house style, a perfect reflection of the Lou Dumont philosophy.

Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Famille: a Chardonnay blend with notes of white fruits, flowers and almonds. A luminous, pure and easy-drinking wine, perfect for discovering the estate's refined style.

Bourgogne Aligoté: crafted from century-old single-parcel vines acquired in 2012, this taut and mineral white offers a unique aromatic vibration, with notes of citrus, white flowers and a persistent saline finish.

Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains Cuvée Tagami: a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, this generous and fruity wine reveals aromas of fresh red fruits on a light structure. Ideal for everyday dining.

Marsannay: a northern appellation of the Côte de Nuits, this appealing Pinot Noir marries cherry, soft spices and a mineral thread that heralds the finesse of the great Gevrey wines.

Fixin: a neighbour of Gevrey, this village produces here a straight, fleshy wine with firm tannins and deep black fruit, built for ageing.

Ladoix: a fresh and elegant Pinot Noir from the northern boundary of the Côte de Beaune, on a calcareous terroir that brings tension and finesse.

Chorey-lès-Beaune (Léa Sélection): a supple and fruity cuvée, ideal for discovering an accessible Côte de Beaune, vinified with the estate's customary precision.

Savigny-lès-Beaune: a Pinot Noir with aromas of blackberry, cherry and flowers, with a round and silky palate, marked by a quintessentially Burgundian elegance.

Pommard 1er Cru Les Saussilles: a fleshy and structured Premier Cru, expressing the contained power of Pommard, with a dense substance, tight tannins and deep black fruit.

Meursault (Léa Sélection): a fleshy white from Chardonnay, marked by notes of hazelnut, fresh butter and flint, on a broad and energetic palate.

Corton Grand Cru: a red Grand Cru from the Côte de Beaune, combining the majestic power of the Corton hill with the minimalist finesse of the Lou Dumont style, a wine of very long ageing potential.

Côte de Nuits Villages: a blended cuvée from several villages, presenting a fruity, expressive and well-structured Pinot Noir, a faithful ambassador of the Côte de Nuits.

Nuits-Saint-Georges: a powerful and deep Pinot Noir, with notes of black fruits, liquorice and spices, with firm tannins and a great capacity for ageing.

Chambolle-Musigny: the queen appellation of finesse, this cuvée displays a nose of roses, strawberry and delicate spices, on a lacy, feminine and persistent palate.

Chambolle-Musigny Léa Sélection: a single-parcel version from the Léa selection, even deeper, with silky substance and great aromatic purity.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes (Léa Sélection): an iconic Premier Cru from Chambolle, combining the village's floral delicacy with a more structured texture and remarkable length.

Vosne-Romanée: a prestigious appellation with a sensual Pinot Noir, marked by black cherry, violet and oriental spices, on a velvety and deep palate.

Gevrey-Chambertin: the estate's home village cuvée, sourced notably from the lieu-dit La Platière (75-year-old vines). A full-bodied, distinguished wine with aromas of black fruits, leather and undergrowth.

Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Nature: a version vinified with even less intervention, without added sulphur or in minimal doses, highlighting the purity of the fruit and the terroir's signature.

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques: a great Premier Cru from Gevrey, with a powerful mineral structure, dense fruit and distinguished tannins, built for long cellaring.

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru: a Grand Cru of great finesse, combining ripe black fruits, spices and undergrowth notes. A broad, silky palate with remarkable aromatic persistence.

Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru (Léa Sélection): a rarer and more confidential Grand Cru, expressing a dense substance, velvety tannins and an aromatic depth typical of the great terroirs of Gevrey.