Yvon Clerget

History of Domaine Yvon Clerget

The history of Domaine Yvon Clerget is rooted in the age of the Crusades, in 1268 to be precise, when the Clerget family settled in Burgundy and planted their first vines in Volnay. This extraordinary lineage has unspooled through 28 generations of vintages, making the estate one of the oldest active domaines in all of Burgundy, passed from father to son without interruption. Over the centuries, the Clergets have accumulated remarkable plots across the finest climats of the Côte de Beaune, a rare testament to a family continuity that is almost without equal.

The recent history of the estate is one of renaissance. In 2009, Yvon Clerget, Thibaud's father, retired and chose to cease bottling under the estate's label. For six vintages, the estate's grapes were sold to the prestigious Domaine Henri Boillot, while Thibaud completed his studies and training. The young man then made his way through the most demanding cellars: a long apprenticeship at Henri Boillot, a formative internship in Oregon at Domaine Drouhin, then a stint at Charles Van Canneyt at Domaine Hudelot-Noellat. In 2015, Thibaud produced his first vintage under the family label Yvon Clerget. In just a few vintages, his wines were propelled to the ranks of the finest signatures of the Côte de Beaune, making him one of the most promising winemakers of his generation.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Yvon Clerget

The vineyard of Domaine Yvon Clerget now extends over approximately 10 hectares (6 historic hectares plus 4 recently acquired), spread essentially across the Côte de Beaune in the villages of Meursault, Pommard and above all Volnay, with an exceptional plot in the Côte de Nuits on the mythical Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru at the lieu-dit Grand Maupertuis. Of the ten red appellations produced, six are classified as Premier Cru and one as Grand Cru, a testament to the exceptional quality of the individual plots. In Volnay, the estate holds prestigious climats such as Les Caillerets, En Champans, Les Santenots and the Clos du Verseuil as a monopole. In Pommard, the estate cultivates notably Les Rugiens, one of the greatest climats of the appellation.

Thibaud Clerget knows every plot by heart, working each one with rigour and meticulous care. Viticulture is conducted according to uncertified organic principles, with careful soil work, respect for the lunar calendar and minimal intervention. Harvesting is done by hand, with rigorous plot-by-plot sorting. The winemaker's philosophy rests on a simple principle: let the terroir speak for itself, without embellishment or showmanship, and reveal the greatness of each climat through a viticulture that respects nature and biodiversity.

Winemaking at Domaine Yvon Clerget

In the cellar, Thibaud Clerget combines the Burgundian tradition inherited from 28 generations with the open-minded spirit of a new generation. The winemaking takes place in a 17th-century cellar, an ideal setting for patient and precise ageing. Each plot is vinified separately to preserve the identity of each terroir. Fermentations are conducted gently, with a majority of destemming and some touches of whole clusters depending on the cuvée and the vintage, in order to bring freshness and aromatic finesse without heavying the extraction.

The wines are aged in oak barrels with a measured proportion of new wood, perfectly integrated so as never to mask the fruit or the character of the terroir. The lunar calendar guides key operations (rackings, bottling). The minimally interventionist approach, the respect for the natural rhythm of each cuvée and the attention to detail that is so characteristic of Thibaud give rise to honest, unadorned wines of great purity, in which the expression of the grape and the soil is given centre stage. The estate's Volnays now rank among the most precise and elegant of the appellation, and quality continues to progress vintage after vintage.

The cuvées of Domaine Yvon Clerget

Bourgogne Aligoté En Coulezain: A single-plot Aligoté cuvée sourced from the lieu-dit En Coulezain. A taut, fresh and saline wine that reveals the full qualitative potential of this often underestimated grape variety in Burgundy. A vivid and precise expression of the terroir.

Meursault Les Chevalières: The estate's emblematic white cuvée, sourced from the Les Chevalières climat, a lieu-dit that resonates in the minds of Meursault lovers. The terroir, particularly floral in character, brings this wine close to the style of the Genevrières. A distinguished, elegant, complex wine built for ageing, sublimated by the Clerget signature.

Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères: A rare Premier Cru from Meursault, whose name derives from the old word "bouchot" meaning "small bush". A taut and mineral Chardonnay of remarkable aromatic precision, expressing the full nobility of the great white wines of Meursault.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: A regional cuvée signed by Thibaud Clerget, revealing from the very entry level the quality of the family's savoir-faire. A fine, taut and delicious wine, in perfect continuity with the house style.

Pommard: The village cuvée from Pommard, an authentic expression of Pinot Noir on the clay-limestone soils of the appellation. A fleshy, structured wine marked by black fruits and spices, in the broad and ample style characteristic of Pommard.

Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens: The emblematic Premier Cru of Pommard, considered one of the greatest climats of the appellation. A deep and powerful Pinot Noir with a noble tannic structure and intense aromas of black fruits and spices, built for long ageing.

Volnay: The village cuvée from the family's home appellation, sourced from several plots in Volnay. A Pinot Noir of great finesse, silky and perfumed, faithful to the delicate and feminine signature of the appellation.

Volnay Premier Cru Carelle sous la Chapelle: A charming Premier Cru, located at the foot of the slope just below the chapel of Volnay. Silky tannins, a crunching fruit, seamlessly integrated oak and elegant length: a refined and approachable Volnay.

Volnay Premier Cru En Champans: A historic Premier Cru from Volnay, on clay-limestone soils of great finesse. An airy, elegant Pinot Noir with a precise mineral framework and silky length, a perfect representative of the classic style of the appellation.

Volnay Premier Cru Les Caillerets: One of the greatest climats of Volnay, historically considered a near Grand Cru. A wine of distinguished elegance, with crystalline aromatic purity, built for long ageing and embodying the very essence of Volnay.

Volnay Premier Cru Les Santenots: A Premier Cru straddling Meursault, considered the most powerful Volnay of the estate. As Thibaud puts it: "even if it is fierce, the pleasure is immediate, the most masculine of feminine wines". A fleshy, deep and structured wine.

Volnay Premier Cru Clos du Verseuil (Monopole): The estate's absolute treasure, this 45-are Clos held in exclusive monopole is situated at the heart of the village, planted on a north-south axis (opposite to the other vines) on crushed limestone soils. The 68-year-old vines yield a Premier Cru that dazzles with every vintage, combining power, balance, finesse and length. The historic signature of Domaine Yvon Clerget.

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Grand Maupertuis: The estate's sole Grand Cru cuvée and its only presence in the Côte de Nuits. Sourced from a remarkable plot at the lieu-dit Grand Maupertuis within the celebrated Clos de Vougeot, this cuvée offers a deep, dense and distinguished Pinot Noir blending power and refinement — one of the absolute crown jewels of Thibaud Clerget's production.