Clos du Moulin Aux Moines

History of Domaine Clos du Moulin aux Moines

The history of Clos du Moulin aux Moines stretches back more than ten centuries. It was in 962, during the Carolingian era, that the monks of the powerful Abbey of Cluny founded a monastery on the heights of Auxey-Duresses, in the Côte de Beaune. The estate, a dependency of the abbey, divided its activity between a grain mill and a wine press, two fundamental resources of the time. For more than six centuries, the property was placed under the authority of the Cistercian Abbey of Cîteaux, which developed the vineyard and built the great Burgundian winemaking tradition. At the French Revolution, the estate passed into private hands and belonged successively to several local families, without, however, regaining its former glory.

In 2008, the Andrieu family acquired the estate, then covering 8 hectares, and entrusted its management to Willy Roulendes, a winemaker originally from the Languedoc who forged his experience at the prestigious Domaine de Montille in Volnay. With strong ambition and exemplary viticultural commitment, he immediately launched the conversion to organic and biodynamic farming, and embarked on a policy of acquiring new plots in the finest appellations of the Côte de Beaune. In 2020, his friend Michael Schwab, originally from Lorraine and captivated by the Burgundian vineyard, joined him to assist in the management of the vineyard. Today, the estate covers 16 hectares, is cited in the candidacy file for the Climats de Bourgogne as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is regularly praised by enthusiasts and critics for the growing precision of its cuvées vintage after vintage.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Clos du Moulin aux Moines

The vineyard of Clos du Moulin aux Moines covers 16 hectares spread across some twenty appellations from north to south of the Côte de Beaune: Auxey-Duresses, Bourgogne, Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Monthelie, Pernand-Vergelesses, Pommard, Saint-Romain and Volnay. The historic plot of Clos du Moulin aux Moines, which gave the estate its name, is the beating heart of the property: three hectares of vines enclosed by a long stone wall (hence the name "Clos"), surrounding a noble 15th-century manor house. This plot is one of the four monopoles of the estate, an extremely rare configuration in Burgundy.

The encépagement is dominated by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the emblematic grape varieties of Burgundy, complemented by Aligoté for a few cuvées. The terroirs are of great geological diversity: clays, marls, fractured Jurassic limestone, stony or sandy soils depending on the plots. The upper part of the Clos, steeper, more arid and closer to the bedrock, is home to the old vines planted in the 1950s, which bring remarkable aromatic complexity to the "Vieilles Vignes" cuvées. Since 2008, the entire vineyard has been cultivated using certified organic and biodynamic farming, with no synthetic chemical products, biodynamic preparations, rigorous pruning and desuckering methods, and absolute respect for biodiversity and soil life.

Vinifications at Domaine Clos du Moulin aux Moines

In the cellar, in the estate's centuries-old cellars dating back to the 15th century, Willy Roulendes applies a deliberately low-interventionist vinification, in the great Burgundian tradition. Harvests are entirely manual, generally in September, with rigorous sorting in the vineyard and the winery (vibrating table and sorting table). The reds are destemmed 70 to 90% depending on the vintage. Fermentations are conducted solely with the indigenous yeasts native to the grapes, without any chemical inputs. For the reds, the musts can be cooled to 14°C in order to delay the onset of fermentation and extend the maceration time, in a logic of gentle and precise extraction.

The reds ferment in large wooden foudres or concrete tanks, while the whites are vinified in small oak barrels. For the pressing of the whites, the estate favours a long and progressive direct pressing, allowing the musts to oxidise naturally. Ageing lasts between 12 and 18 months depending on the appellation and the vintage. The estate favours barrels without exceeding 15 to 20% new French oak, and uses increasingly large barrels of around 1,000 litres, which allow gentle ageing without smothering the floral and fruity aromas. The 15th-century cellars offer perfect conditions of constant temperature and hygrometry. This philosophy produces a recognisable signature: terroir-driven wines, without artifice, with Burgundian elegance and depth without heaviness.

The Cuvées of Domaine Clos du Moulin aux Moines

Auxey-Duresses Clos du Moulin aux Moines Vieilles Vignes Rouge (Monopole): the estate's signature cuvée and jewel, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from old vines planted in the 1950s in the upper part of the Clos. Low-interventionist vinification, aged 12 to 18 months in barrels (10 to 20% new). Deep ruby robe, complex and expansive aromatic profile, a palate with aromas of evolved dark fruits, cherry juice, eau-de-vie and stone, a long and refined finish. Ideal with game, white meat or red meat.

Auxey-Duresses Clos du Moulin aux Moines Monopole Blanc: the white version of the iconic Monopole, crafted from 100% Chardonnay on the same exceptional plot. Golden robe with green highlights, expressive nose of citron and mimosa, a palate of great aromatic complexity, dense and elegant, with a frank and supple attack, and an almost saline and iodine-tinged finish. A dense Burgundian white that recalls that Auxey-Duresses neighbours the greatest white wines of Burgundy.

Pommard 1er Cru Clos Orgelot (Monopole): another monopole of the estate, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir on 1 hectare. Deep robe, expressive nose with spiced aromas, a fleshy and structured palate with a noble tannic backbone. A masterful expression of the great Premier Cru of Pommard.

Pommard 1er Cru Les Pézerolles: a single-plot cuvée in the Premier Cru of Pommard, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Deep ruby robe, complex nose of dark fruits, spices and earthy notes, a dense and structured palate with great ageing potential.

Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc: another single-plot cuvée in the Premier Cru of Pommard, with a distinctive signature. A fully realised expression of the great cru of the Côte de Beaune.

Beaune 1er Cru Les Cents Vignes: a Premier Cru of Beaune crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Brilliant ruby robe, fruity and floral nose, a silky and elegant palate. A refined Premier Cru of Beaune with a classic signature.

Volnay Les Famines: a village cuvée in the Volnay appellation, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Light ruby robe, expressive nose with floral and fruity notes, a fine and silky palate with the airy signature typical of Volnay.

Pernand-Vergelesses Les Combottes: a village cuvée in the Pernand-Vergelesses appellation. Brilliant robe, fruity and mineral nose, a fresh and precise palate with the balanced signature of this great village neighbouring Corton.

Chorey-lès-Beaune: a village cuvée in the Chorey-lès-Beaune appellation, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Light ruby robe, nose of red fruits, a supple and indulgent palate. An accessible and delicious village wine.

Monthelie Sous le Cellier: a single-plot cuvée in the Monthelie appellation, a direct neighbour of Auxey-Duresses. 100% Pinot Noir, vinified in the pure house style. A precise and characterful expression of the great, underrated village of the Côte de Beaune.

Saint-Romain Sous Roches: a single-plot cuvée in the Saint-Romain appellation, produced from the lieu-dit Sous Roches. A fresh and mineral wine with the chiselled signature of this great high-altitude village.

Bourgogne Clos de la Perrière Blanc (Monopole): a monopole cuvée in a regional appellation, crafted from 100% Chardonnay. Brilliant robe, floral and fruity nose, a taut and precise palate with a mineral signature.

Bourgogne Clos de la Perrière Rouge: the red version of the monopole, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Light ruby robe, fruity and floral nose, a silky and refreshing palate.

Bourgogne Aux Seurrets: a regional single-plot cuvée from the lieu-dit Aux Seurrets. An indulgent entry point into the world of the estate.

Bourgogne Aligoté: a regional cuvée made from Aligoté, a grape variety often overlooked in Burgundy. Fresh, lively, with a mineral backbone, ideal as an aperitif or with seafood.

Vin de France Pinot Noir « Nature »: an original cuvée in Vin de France, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir in an even more minimalist approach, with no additions whatsoever. A free and joyful expression of Burgundian Pinot Noir, with a pure and authentic signature, true to the estate's biodynamic commitment.