Chapuis & Chapuis

History of Chapuis & Chapuis

The Chapuis brothers, Jean-Guillaume and Romain, come from a line of Aloxe-Corton winegrowers. Aware of the difficulty of acquiring vines in a region as sought-after as Burgundy, they chose a different path in 2009: founding their own wine merchant and winemaking business in Pommard, with a winery set up in the former Château de Pommard. Jean-Guillaume, trained as a lawyer, handles sales and administration, while Romain, an enologist, oversees all winemaking.

Romain’s career goes a long way toward explaining the project’s originality. For ten years, he worked as a flying winemaker around the world—in Australia, New Zealand, Lebanon, Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, Alsace and, of course, Burgundy. He then spent three formative years with Philippe Pacalet, a leading figure in Burgundian natural wine, learning from his exacting standards for grapes and his extreme restraint in the cellar. Returning to his home region, he decided to produce the wines he loves under his own label. Today, the house offers two complementary ranges: classic cuvées and cuvées vinified without added sulfur. Romain has even ventured into craft beer, extending his curiosity beyond wine. The house’s wines regularly earn praise from the specialist press, notably the Guide Hachette des Vins.

Terroirs and Vines of Chapuis & Chapuis

The strength of the model lies in meticulous grape sourcing. Every plot is scrutinized before any commitment is made: vine health, soil composition and vitality, exposure, vine age and plant selection. This painstaking work ensures impeccable grape quality and makes it possible for an operation of this size to offer a remarkably broad range. Whenever possible, the Chapuis brothers favor partner growers who practice organic or biodynamic farming and with whom they maintain long-term relationships.

The territory covered offers a journey across Burgundy. In the Côte de Beaune, the house vinifies wines from Chorey-lès-Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Volnay, Pommard, Santenay, Saint-Romain and the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, all the way up to the grands crus of the Corton hill. In the Côte de Nuits, it notably works the Les Chaillots lieu-dit in Corgoloin, where Romain Chapuis owns 0.4 hectares. The Côte Chalonnaise rounds out the range with Rully and Mercurey, two appellations offering excellent value for money. Clay-limestone soils, marl, scree and varied exposures form a mosaic that the house strives to convey without imposing uniformity, vinifying each climat separately.

Winemaking at Chapuis & Chapuis

Winemaking is the soul of the house, and its golden rule can be summed up in a few words: gentleness and finesse take precedence over excessive extraction. The grapes are harvested by hand, sorted, then placed in vats with minimal intervention. Depending on the cuvée, the grapes may be fully destemmed—as with Côte de Nuits-Villages Les Chaillots, whose grapes are entirely destemmed before roughly fourteen days of maceration—or partially destemmed to retain some ripe stems that bring tension and complexity.

Fermentations begin spontaneously with native yeasts, reflecting the approach Romain Chapuis took from his time with Philippe Pacalet. Punch-downs and pump-overs are measured; the aim is to let the grapes express themselves and the terroir come through rather than impose a winemaking signature. Aging takes place in barrels, with the proportion of new oak deliberately kept low so it never masks the fruit. Some cuvées are vinified and bottled without added sulfur, a range that attests to the technical mastery gained over successive vintages. This blend of tradition and modernity produces pure, easy-drinking wines with immediate appeal, without compromising the aging potential of those from the most esteemed appellations.

The cuvées of Chapuis & Chapuis

Crémant de Bourgogne: made by the traditional method, this crémant offers fine bubbles and freshness. Citrus, white flowers and a brioche note make for a lively, elegant wine, ideal as an aperitif or throughout a meal.

Pet’Nat Aligoté: a naturally sparkling wine made from Aligoté grapes and bottled before fermentation is complete. The result is crisp, thirst-quenching and cheerful, with green apple, lemon and a hint of fresh yeast. A lively, unadorned sparkling wine to serve well chilled.

Bourgogne Aligoté: Burgundy’s modest white, given a thoughtful new interpretation. Lively and crystalline, it offers lime, apple and sharp salinity on a focused, easy-drinking palate. A perfect companion to shellfish and goat cheese.

Bourgogne Blanc: this regional Chardonnay receives the same rigorous selection as the crus. The nose combines citrus, white fruit and flowers; the palate is fluid and precise, with lovely tension and a clean finish. A bright introduction to the house’s wines.

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc: from the high-elevation hillsides overlooking the Côte, it benefits from these terroirs’ cool conditions and day-to-night temperature variation. The wine is lively, floral and flavorful, with pronounced minerality and a refreshingly saline finish.

Rully Blanc: from the Côte Chalonnaise, this Chardonnay charms with its measured roundness and aromatic brightness. White fruit, fresh almond and citrus notes balance on a supple palate supported by lively acidity. One of the range’s best values for sheer enjoyment.

Saint-Romain Blanc: this high-elevation village, nestled beneath its limestone cliffs, produces a taut, saline white. Citrus and flint dominate, with a focused, finely etched and easy-drinking palate. A white with character, superb with fish and seafood.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: the house’s pinnacle white, from the highest limestone slopes of the Corton hill. It combines restrained power and saline minerality with ripe white fruit, almond, sweet spice and a deep chalky character. A fine wine built to age; give it several years.

Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge: the estate’s most approachable cuvée, brimming with fruit and charm. Crisp and light, it is a pleasure to drink right away, slightly chilled, with a charcuterie board or an everyday meal.

Bourgogne Rouge: this regional Pinot Noir perfectly illustrates the house style: juicy and delicious. Crisp red fruit leads, supported by fine tannins and vibrant acidity. A straightforward, easy-drinking and beautifully made wine.

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Rouge: denser and spicier than the Bourgogne, it draws lovely freshness and minerality from its elevation. Dark fruit, pepper and forest-floor notes come together in a characterful Pinot Noir at a very reasonable price.

“Montre Cul” Rouge: a cuvée with a cheeky name, a nod to a historic Burgundian lieu-dit. It yields a lively, fragrant Pinot Noir with raspberry and redcurrant, a fluid palate and a tangy finish. The house’s playful spirit in a bottle.

Côte de Nuits-Villages “Les Chaillots”: this terroir in the heart of Corgoloin, in the southern Côte de Nuits, is one of the few plots Romain Chapuis owns outright, covering 0.4 hectares. The grapes are fully destemmed before approximately fourteen days of maceration. The resulting wine has a lovely color, precise fruit and a firm yet elegant structure.

Chorey-lès-Beaune Rouge: an often-underestimated village on the plain, here yielding a tender, fruity Pinot Noir with cherry and raspberry, supple tannins and a fresh finish. An ideal wine for the table, approachable even in its youth.

Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge: at the foot of the Corton hill, this high-elevation village brings tension and elegance. The wine combines fresh red fruit, spice and saline minerality, with a lithe structure and lovely persistence. A distinguished, refreshing red.

Aloxe-Corton: a return to the family’s roots in the village where the Chapuis grandparents were winegrowers. Here the wine is fleshier and more structured, with dark fruit and spice and a serious tannic foundation that calls for a few years of aging.

Savigny-lès-Beaune: from the hillsides flanking the Savigny valley, this Pinot Noir emphasizes freshness and crisp red fruit, with a hint of spice and a supple structure. A delicious village-level wine, true to the house’s signature style.

Santenay: in the south of the Côte de Beaune, this village produces a generous, flavorful red marked by black cherry and an earthy note. The palate is round, the tannins well integrated and the finish persistent.

Nuits-Saint-Georges: a venture into the Côte de Nuits for a more robust, full-bodied Pinot Noir, with dark fruit, leather and spice. The structure is firm and the palate dense, with genuine aging potential.

Volnay: the Côte de Beaune’s most delicate village, from which the house produces a wine of great finesse. Ruby color with bluish highlights, aromas of violet and red fruit, and a silky palate with supple tannins. An airy, charming expression of Pinot Noir.

Volnay 1er Cru “Chanlin”: a climat shared by Volnay and Pommard, classified as premier cru in both villages. The appealing, refined nose reveals small dark berries such as blackberry and blackcurrant, lifted by spice. The palate is generous and rounded, carried by supple tannins and subtle acidity; the fruit’s finesse makes it airy and already charming.

Mercurey: the Côte Chalonnaise’s leading red appellation, presented here in a fresh, well-defined style. Ripe red fruit, sweet spice and minerality make for a straightforward wine, structured without heaviness and made for the table.

Corton Grand Cru: the house’s flagship red, from the Côte de Beaune’s only red grand cru. Vinified with the house’s customary restraint, it reveals a dense, deep palate of dark fruit, licorice and forest floor, with noble tannins and an exceptionally long finish. A wine with outstanding aging potential that amply rewards patience.