Didon

History of Domaine Didon

The story of Domaine Didon is one of an encounter and a late-found vocation. Without any family heritage in wine, David and Naïma each forged their own independent path before meeting in Beaune. David began his career at age 20 in environmental protection and arboriculture, then trained at the agrobiological school of Beaujeu, where he immersed himself in the thinking of Rudolf Steiner and biodynamics. He worked successively in Alsace, on farms and in gardens, then in Lorraine alongside Michel Goujot, a pioneering natural wine producer. Inspired by that experience, he settled in Beaune to study viticulture, then became head of viticulture at the prestigious domaine de Montille in Volnay, where he led the conversion to biodynamics. Naïma, for her part, with a background in sales and administration, discovered her passion for wine and joined the team of a Beaune-based wine producer.

Their meeting in Beaune was a turning point. Committed together to a shared endeavor, they saw in 2017 a dream opportunity: 1 hectare of vines for sale in Chassey-le-Camp, to which a second hectare was quickly added. Domaine Didon was born. The first harvest took place in 2017, from one hectare of old Aligoté, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir vines planted between 1942 and 1967. David was supported in his early steps by the pioneers of Burgundian natural wine, Julien Altaber and Dominique Derain, who helped him convert the vineyard to biodynamics. The couple manages it part-time, while keeping their respective positions at other Burgundian estates.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Didon

The vineyard of Domaine Didon extends over 2 hectares in Chassey-le-Camp, at the northern tip of the Côte Chalonnaise, just opposite the famous village of Bouzeron, the heartland of Aligoté. The heart of the estate is the emblematic lieu-dit "Les Vignes Blanches," situated on a steep hillside with a south-east exposure, at the entrance to the village. This evocative name comes from the particular composition of the soil, made up of clay extremely rich in minerals over a dense yellow limestone subsoil, which provides excellent drainage and a distinctive minerality to the wines. The temperate oceanic climate completes this exceptional terroir.

The village of Chassey-le-Camp was once a large continuous vineyard, whose production was sold to négociants throughout Burgundy. Following the production crisis of the 1930s and the establishment of appellations d'origine, the vineyard was largely converted to other crops or abandoned. Today, the terroir of Chassey is rarely recognized as such and remains linked to Bouzeron for its exceptional suitability for Aligoté. Les Vignes Blanches of Domaine Didon were planted in massal selections between 1947 and 1960 with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Aligoté. Viticulture is rigorously biodynamic: everything is done by hand, soils are diligently plowed, fruit trees are planted along parcel borders, vines are pruned using the Guyot Poussard method, and harvests are carried out manually with generous yet healthy yields.

Winemaking at Domaine Didon

In the cellar, David and Naïma sum up their philosophy in a simple and effective formula: "We do the work in the vineyard and we are lazy in the cellar." This approach, which is in reality one of great rigor, means that the wines are produced from perfectly healthy and concentrated grapes thanks to biodynamics, allowing for minimal intervention in the cellar. Pressings are slow and delicate, to preserve the integrity of the juices. Fermentations are conducted solely with the indigenous yeasts native to the grapes, which are closely monitored without any additions. No oenological intervention is practiced.

Aging takes place in carefully selected vessels (tanks, old barrels), for durations adapted to each cuvée. No additives are used, and sulfur is only added at bottling, in minimal quantities. The wines are neither fined nor filtered, in a spirit of absolute transparency toward the grape and the terroir. This pure and minimalist philosophy produces a recognizable signature: wines that are precise, vibrant, of great purity and remarkable frankness, conveying the emotion the couple seeks to share. The great purity and frankness of the wines have undeniably won over lovers of Burgundian natural wines.

The Cuvées of Domaine Didon

Bourgogne Rouge: the signature cuvée in AOC Bourgogne, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir from the estate's old vines planted in massal selections between 1947 and 1960 on Les Vignes Blanches. Minimalist winemaking, aged in old barrels. Brilliant ruby color, expressive nose of red fruits (cherry, raspberry) and floral notes, palate of intense, crunchy and indulgent fruit, with a fine and silky texture. A pleasure-driven Bourgogne, to be enjoyed today with white meats, an autumn vegetable purée, or a charcuterie board.

Bourgogne Blanc: an atypical white cuvée in AOC Bourgogne, crafted from an original blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Aligoté from the estate's old vines. Pale color, floral and fruity nose, fruity and precise palate with a lively finish. An original and distinctive Burgundian white, true to the singularity of Domaine Didon.

Bourgogne Aligoté Les Vignes Blanches: the flagship single-vineyard cuvée, crafted from 100% Aligoté sourced from the eponymous lieu-dit, with minerally rich white clay soils over yellow limestone. Pale golden color, fine and delicate nose of citrus, white flowers, and chalky notes, taut and deep palate with the mineral signature of the terroir and aromatic finesse. A fully realized expression of Aligoté, restored to its noble standing at Domaine Didon.

Bourgogne Aligoté Les Peteurs: another single-vineyard Aligoté cuvée, from the lieu-dit Les Peteurs. Vinification in the same natural spirit, aged in tanks or old barrels. Bright color, expressive nose of citrus and white flowers, lively and thirst-quenching palate with the precise signature typical of the estate. Another nuance of the Aligoté from Chassey, with remarkable frankness.

Pétillant Naturel: a sparkling cuvée in Vin de France, crafted from a blend of Aligoté and Pinot Blanc using the ancestral method (fermentation in bottle with the residual sugars of the grapes), without any addition of sugar or yeasts. Pale color, fine and lively bubbles, aromatic nose of white fruits and flowers, taut and thirst-quenching palate. An authentic and original sparkling wine, true to the creative spirit of the Didon couple.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Les Vignes Blanches: a single-vineyard red cuvée from the lieu-dit Les Vignes Blanches, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from very old vines planted between 1947 and 1960. Clear ruby color, complex nose of red fruits, flowers, and mineral notes, silky and deep palate with the chiseled signature of the clay-limestone terroir. A rare single-vineyard cuvée that reveals the full singularity of the great terroir of Chassey-le-Camp, rediscovered by David and Naïma Didon.