Buisson Charles

History of Domaine Buisson-Charles

The Buisson family has made wine in Meursault for generations. Michel Buisson, the third generation to lead the property, built the estate’s reputation from the 1980s onward by establishing a Meursault style that was both rich and precise. Officially retired, this highly respected winemaker has never truly left the vineyards and continues to watch over the property.

The estate is now run by his daughter Catherine and his son-in-law Patrick Essa. Patrick came to wine later in life, after an earlier career, but has more than made up for lost time: also an acclaimed author and influential blogger, he created a veritable encyclopedia of Burgundy wines. The estate’s winemaker since 2009, he has taken it to an entirely new level, producing wines of remarkable balance—concentrated and rich, yet always pure and expressive—that unite the crystalline purity and opulence characteristic of Meursault. In 2011, a small négociant operation was added to the estate, making it possible to vinify cuvées from Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Chablis. All production is now brought together under the single Buisson-Charles label. The growth has been remarkable: from 20,000 bottles a year around fifteen years ago to nearly 60,000 today, a ceiling the family has chosen not to exceed in order to preserve quality.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Buisson-Charles

The vineyards extend around the village of Meursault over just six hectares, a deliberately modest size that allows exceptionally close attention to each parcel. The estate’s strength lies in its broad range of village-level and premier cru Meursaults, including five village-appellation parcels whose average vine age now exceeds 65 years, with the oldest approaching a century. There is also a small plot in Meursault Tessons, one of the great lieux-dits on the slope south of the village, and tiny holdings in several premiers crus that yield only a few barrels each year.

The estate’s reach later extended to Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Blagny, Volnay, Pommard, the Corton hill, Chablis, the Mâconnais and even the Côte de Nuits. Yields are deliberately low, around 42 hectoliters per hectare, owing to the advanced age of the vines and rigorous bud removal. Another strength of these vineyards is that they have always been plowed and have never been treated with herbicide. The family has even chosen to plow some parcels by horse and has begun the process of organic certification. Patrick Essa holds a simple conviction: terroir, not winemaking, should determine a wine’s taste, and each cuvée should reflect the essence of its appellation.

Winemaking at Domaine Buisson-Charles

The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted in the vineyard, so that only perfectly healthy berries reach the winery. They are pressed gently, and the juice is then moved by gravity. Fermentation proceeds naturally, without unnecessary intervention, with complete respect for the fruit and its substance.

Aging is the house’s signature. It generally lasts eighteen months in barrel, with a deliberately very small proportion of new oak. Most cuvées are aged in older or neutral barrels so that oak never obscures the character of the climat. Bottling without filtration preserves the wine’s full texture and aromatic complexity. The result is whites that are both expansive and taut, with refined bitter notes and often a sensation of cold stone and salt-preserved lemon, alongside elegant reds with a delicate texture and refined bouquet. These wines have considerable aging potential; above all, the family seeks to make bottles that stand the test of time.

The cuvées of Domaine Buisson-Charles

Bourgogne Aligoté “Sous le Chemin”: a single-parcel Aligoté cuvée, lively and crystalline, with lemon, green apple and a sharp salinity. Straightforward and exceptionally easy to drink, it is perfect as an aperitif or with shellfish.

Bourgogne Aligoté “Hors Classe”: a superior selection of the grape variety from the estate’s oldest Aligoté vines. Denser and more textured, it retains vibrant acidity and develops genuine complexity, well beyond what the appellation might lead one to expect.

Bourgogne Blanc Côte d’Or “Hautes Coutures”: this regional Chardonnay receives the same care as the crus. The nose combines citrus, white flowers and a hint of almond, while the palate remains supple, saline and perfectly balanced. One of the best values in the range.

Meursault Vieilles Vignes: a blend of six parcels spread around the village, together comprising more than two hectares of old vines aged over 45 years. Slightly rich and wrapped in subtle oak, the palate remains graceful thanks to its breadth, flesh and lovely savoriness. A village-level Meursault of the highest caliber.

Meursault “Les Tessons”: from one of the great lieux-dits on the slope south of the village. It evokes cold stone, with a pure mineral character. The lively palate has ample breadth and depth, revealing aromas of salt-preserved lemon. A wine deeply rooted in its terroir and built to age.

Meursault “La Vigne de 1945”: bottled separately from Vieilles Vignes since the 2015 vintage, it comes from the Les Pellans lieu-dit, just below the Charmes premier cru and on the border with Puligny-Montrachet. Hand-harvested and sorted, gently pressed, aged for eighteen months in neutral barrels and bottled without filtration. A Meursault of striking depth and purity.

Meursault 1er Cru “Bouches-Chères”: this premier cru has a buttery note that never overwhelms its ripe, juicy yet fresh fruit. Its lovely finish, with delicate bitter notes, suggests grapefruit zest and a slight tannic sensation. An elegant wine of great distinction, produced in very small quantities.

Meursault 1er Cru “Goutte d’Or”: a note of mango signals considerable ripeness, expressed on the palate through its weight, density and generosity. The sunniest and most opulent of the estate’s premiers crus, without ever losing its balance.

Meursault 1er Cru “Les Charmes”: more reserved in its youth, with a subtle reductive note, this climat makes its mark more through power than fleshiness. A muscular Charmes, ripe to perfection, with a firm, earthy foundation and great aging potential.

Meursault 1er Cru “Les Cras”: from the upper slope, on very stony soils, it yields a full, expansive wine with a pronounced chalky backbone. Citrus, flint and white fruit come together in a taut, distinguished whole.

Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru “La Pièce sous le Bois”: a new cuvée introduced in 2020, from this high-altitude climat at the edge of the woods, known for the freshness and firm structure of its wines. An austere, mineral white in its youth, it benefits enormously from a few years in the cellar.

Meursault 1er Cru “In Memoriam”: a tribute cuvée made in extremely limited quantities from only the finest barrel selections. It brings together all the house’s expertise, combining concentration, saline tension and remarkable length.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru “Le Cailleret”: an immediate neighbor of Montrachet, this prestigious climat produces an exceptionally precise white with aromas of citrus, white flowers and stone, a fine texture and a very long saline finish.

Puligny-Montrachet “Les Combettes”: on the border with Meursault, this climat combines Meursault’s roundness with Puligny’s tension. The white fruit is vibrant, the palate broad yet beautifully defined, and the finish long and mouthwatering.

Puligny-Montrachet “Les Champs Gains”: introduced in 2020, this cuvée comes from the upper Puligny slope, on lean, stony soils. It produces a particularly taut, crystalline white, marked by chalky minerality and lovely freshness.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premiers Crus: the estate vinifies several Chassagne climats, including En Cailleret, En Remilly and La Romanée. Each offers a different expression of the village: the generous white fruit of En Cailleret, the verticality of En Remilly, a neighbor of Montrachet, and the distinctive power of La Romanée, high on the slope.

Chablis Grand Cru “Vaudésir”: a notable venture into the Yonne, on one of Chablis’s seven grands crus. Its Kimmeridgian soils produce a profound, briny white with sharp chalky minerality and remarkable length, destined to evolve beautifully.

Chablis 1er Cru “Les Lys”: this climat on the left bank of the Serein is known for its delicate floral character. The wine is fine, slender and saline, with an aromatic purity that charms even in its youth.

Chablis 1er Cru “À Gauche du Serein”: a recent cuvée blending several climats from the river’s left bank. It emphasizes precision, briny freshness and crisp fruit in a quintessentially Chablis style.

Pouilly-Fuissé “Terroir de Vergisson”: added to the range in 2019, this Mâconnais cuvée comes from Vergisson’s limestone terroirs, known for their verticality. Its Chardonnay is taut, mineral and profound, with good aging potential.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru: the estate’s finest white, born on the highest limestone slopes of the Corton hill. It combines restrained power, ripe white fruit, almond, gentle spice and deep saline minerality. A truly great wine for aging, produced in a quantity of just a few barrels.

Corton Blanc Grand Cru: an exceptional rarity, this Chardonnay, produced under the Corton appellation rather than Corton-Charlemagne, offers a distinctive profile: broader and more textured, with deep salinity and a vibrant structure.

Bourgogne Rouge Côte d’Or “Hautes Coutures”: from two distinct parcels planted with particularly fine Pinot Noir vines averaging over 50 years old, including vines in the commune of Puligny-Montrachet. A dense, serious red with black fruit and spice that rewards a little patience.

Volnay 1er Cru “En Santenots”: this climat lies in the commune of Meursault but is classified as Volnay, offering an elegant bouquet and a graceful palate. Its texture is delicate, its tannins finely defined, and its finish fresh and persistent.

Volnay 1er Cru “En Champans”: one of Volnay’s finest climats, in the heart of the slope. It yields a refined, profound Pinot Noir with violet, cherry and gentle spice, silky tannins and lovely length.

Volnay 1er Cru “Fremiets”: added to the range in 2019, this climat bordering Pommard combines Volnay’s finesse with a slightly firmer structure and a distinctly mineral backbone.

Volnay 1er Cru “Cailleret”: a new appellation offered by the estate, from one of the village’s most prestigious climats. It produces a wine of great aromatic delicacy, with exceptionally fine tannins and a remarkably persistent finish.

Pommard “En Mareau”: this lieu-dit brings Pommard’s characteristic power and generosity to the range. Ripe black fruit, spice and notes of forest floor make for a fleshy wine with firm but well-rounded tannins.

Corton Grand Cru “Clos du Roi”: considered the pinnacle of the Corton hill, this historic climat produces a structured, profound red. Its delicacy and elegance shine through, supported by noble tannins and a remarkably long finish.

Corton Grand Cru “Bressandes”: facing due east on the lower slope, this climat marries the power of great Corton wines with remarkable tannic finesse, alongside black fruit, forest floor and spice.

Corton Grand Cru “Perrières”: stonier and more taut, it produces a slender, mineral wine with a firm structure and pronounced freshness. Its more austere character rewards patience.

Corton Grand Cru “Renardes”: the newest addition among the hill’s grands crus, this cuvée comes from very clay-rich, iron-rich soil that produces opulent, powerful wines with dense tannins and an imposing structure.

Nuits-Saint-Georges: a recent addition to the range, this appellation brings a robust, full-bodied Pinot Noir with black fruit, leather and spice, and genuine aging potential.

Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru “Le Clos Sorbé”: this Côte de Nuits premier cru, below the village, offers a dense, vibrant wine combining black fruit, licorice and chalky minerality, with well-rounded tannins.

Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru: one of the most delicate of Gevrey’s grands crus, it captivates with its floral finesse, crystalline red fruit and elegant structure, along with remarkable length and excellent aging potential.

Chambertin Grand Cru: added to the range in 2020, it is the estate’s ultimate red. Majestic and profound, it layers black fruit, spice, forest floor and floral notes over an aristocratic tannic structure, with seemingly endless persistence that calls for many years in the cellar.