Amiot-Servelle

History of Domaine Amiot-Servelle

The origins of the estate date back to 1920, when Clément Tachot began farming a few vines in the village of Chambolle-Musigny and vinifying his own wine. Thirty years later, in 1950, his daughter Cécile and her son-in-law Jean Servelle officially established Domaine Servelle-Tachot, which patiently built up a remarkable parcel portfolio at the heart of the village.

The turning point came in 1980, when Élisabeth Servelle, daughter of Cécile and Jean, returned to support her parents alongside her husband Christian Amiot, son of the celebrated Morey-Saint-Denis winemaker Pierre Amiot. Upon Jean Servelle's passing in 1989, the couple became owners and naturally renamed the property Amiot-Servelle. Christian and Élisabeth committed the estate to respectful viticulture from 2003 onwards, with organic practices across all parcels, before obtaining certification in 2008. In 2010, the acquisition of several parcels from the Amiot family, totalling one hectare, brought the precious Morey-Saint-Denis, Clos Saint-Denis and Charmes-Chambertin. Since 2011, their children Prune and Antoine have joined the venture, with Prune taking charge of viticulture and winemaking. This arrival marked a new milestone for the estate, with a noticeably greater finesse perceptible in recent vintages, widely praised by international critics. In 2022, a new cellar and a new winery were built to work increasingly by gravity.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Amiot-Servelle

The vineyard revolves around Chambolle-Musigny, where the estate holds a parcel portfolio of rare richness. The village appellation covers 2.30 hectares spread across eight lieux-dits, the finest of which, Les Bas-Doix, is situated just below Les Amoureuses, with vines of 30 to 35 years. The premier crus follow, often minuscule: 0.17 hectares in Les Feusselottes, 0.18 hectares in Les Fuées, 0.26 hectares in Derrière la Grange, 0.39 hectares in Les Plantes, 0.45 hectares in Les Amoureuses and above all 1.27 hectares in Les Charmes, the estate's most important holding on this climat, with vines of 40 years.

The estate also holds 0.46 hectares in Morey-Saint-Denis, 0.17 hectares of Clos Saint-Denis and 0.19 hectares of Charmes-Chambertin, complemented by 0.97 hectares of pinot noir and 0.26 hectares of chardonnay under the regional appellation. The high proportion of limestone in the soils of these parcels produces wines driven by minerality, elegantly perfumed and very faithful to the floral signature of Chambolle. Derrière la Grange, located on the Morey side, is an exception with a more masculine style that constitutes a true speciality of the house. The stated objective is simple: to treat the vine with respect in order to obtain fruit of irreproachable quality, an indispensable condition for wines that faithfully express their climat.

Winemaking at Domaine Amiot-Servelle

Harvesting is done by hand, with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and in the winery. In the cellar, the proportion of whole-cluster fermentation varies considerably depending on the wine and the vintage, ranging from the complete absence of stems on the very old vines of Charmes-Chambertin to 100% on Les Borniques, with 30 to 65% on Les Amoureuses depending on the year. This lever, adjusted cuvée by cuvée, brings tension, aromatic complexity and length without ever hardening the material.

Fermentations are conducted gently, in a constant pursuit of finesse over extraction. A significant proportion of the wines is then aged in 400-litre barrels, a larger vessel that limits the influence of oak and preserves the delicacy characteristic of Chambolle. The proportion of new wood remains measured, rising to 50% on the most ambitious cuvées such as Les Amoureuses. Since the construction of the new cellar in 2022, movements are carried out as much as possible by gravity, without brutal pumping. The result is wines of great purity, with a saline mineral structure, fine tannins and remarkable length, capable of easily traversing two decades.

The Cuvées of Domaine Amiot-Servelle

Bourgogne Chardonnay: sourced from a small 0.26-hectare parcel, this regional white is vinified with the same care as the crus. The nose blends citrus fruits, white flowers and a hint of almond, while the palate remains fluid, fresh and saline. A luminous and digestible introduction to the world of the estate.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: produced from 0.97 hectares, it offers a crunchy and perfumed pinot noir, with cherry and raspberry, fine tannins and beautiful vivacity. An excellent value for discovering the house style, to be enjoyed in its youth slightly chilled.

Chambolle-Musigny: the village cuvée, an assemblage from 2.30 hectares spread across eight lieux-dits, including the very well-situated Les Bas-Doix, just below Les Amoureuses. The vines are 30 to 35 years old. The wine expresses all the finesse of Chambolle, with a nose of rose, violet and small red fruits, a silky palate and a saline finish. One of the most accomplished village wines of the appellation.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Charmes »: the estate's most important holding with 1.27 hectares, on vines of around forty years. This climat is considered the benchmark of the classic premier cru of Chambolle. It combines generosity of fruit, velvety texture and an elegant mineral structure, with a finish of beautiful length. Accessible relatively young, it nonetheless ages very well.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Plantes »: a 0.39-hectare parcel that yields a fine and perfumed pinot noir, marked by beautiful acidity and notes of small red fruits. The structure is slender, the finish clean and fresh. A particularly digestible and crystalline expression of the village.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Feusselottes »: a tiny 0.17-hectare parcel, produced in confidential quantities. It combines concentration and delicacy, with precise fruit, gentle spices and a fine texture. A rare cuvée, highly sought after by enthusiasts.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Fuées »: 0.18 hectares located on the northern side of the village, close to the Bonnes-Mares. This climat produces a more intense and more structured wine, with black fruits and spices, a beautiful tannic backbone and a genuine ageing potential.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Borniques »: the estate has always owned these vines located at the edge of Musigny, on the village side, but they have only been vinified as a separate cuvée since the 2017 vintage. Made with 100% whole-cluster fermentation and fermented in 400-litre barrels with no new oak, it unfolds notes of rose, wild strawberry and a salivating minerality, with ripe tannin grain and an intense, very long finish. A wine of fascinating purity.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Derrière la Grange »: the speciality of the house. This small climat of only 0.7 hectares, located on the Morey side, is held for nearly half by the estate, which farms 0.26 hectares of it. More structured and more masculine than the other Chambolle wines, it offers a tight aromatic core, finely spiced, with a saline and disconcertingly complex palate. A very young wine upon release, but destined for a superb evolution.

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru « Les Amoureuses »: the flagship of the estate, across 0.45 hectares located in the northern part of the appellation, on a soil of limestone, pebbles and silt, with vines of around thirty years. Aged in French oak barrels with 50% new wood, it meets all the criteria of a great fine wine through its aromatic, tannic and mineral intensity. The colour is an intense and luminous ruby, the bouquet complex, the palate at once silky and powerful, with a very long and precise finish. An ageing potential of around twenty years, or even more in great vintages.

Morey-Saint-Denis: sourced from 0.46 hectares acquired from the Amiot family, this village wine brings a denser and more earthy register to the range. Black fruits, spices and notes of undergrowth compose a structured wine with well-rounded tannins, which benefits from a few years in the cellar.

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru: actually sourced from the Mazoyères sector, which the family has always labelled under the name Charmes, this grand cru comes from very old vines across 0.19 hectares, vinified without whole-cluster fermentation. The nose, very broad, opens on a floral brightness with aeration, displaying remarkable freshness and rare complexity. An anthological Charmes-Chambertin, which has earned the estate the praise of the most demanding tasters.

Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru: 0.17 hectares on one of the most refined grand crus of Morey-Saint-Denis. The nose is distinguished by its direct density and ripe yet perfectly pure fruit, while the palate impresses more through its depth than its weight. Powerful and concentrated in its youth, this grand cru has considerable potential and demands several years of patience before revealing its full dimension.