Vini Viti Vici

History of Vini Viti Vici

The story of Vini Viti Vici begins with Nicolas Vauthier's enduring love affair with natural wine. Originally from Troyes, trained in oenology in the United States (Washington) and then in Burgundy, Nicolas is one of the earliest ambassadors of natural wines in France. He co-founded and ran for over ten years the wine bar "Aux Crieurs de Vins", in Troyes, which became a true institution in the natural wine world. It was there, surrounded by fine bottles, good conversation and passionate enthusiasts, that he made the decision to cross to the other side of the counter and become a wine creator himself.

In 2009, Nicolas Vauthier, affectionately nicknamed "Kikro" by those close to him, founded Vini Viti Vici in Avallon, in northern Burgundy, close to Chablis. Without owning any vines of his own, he invented an ultra-confidential and artisanal négociant model: he purchases grapes "sur pied", still on the vine, from selected partner producers chosen for the quality of their organic work, then harvests them himself with his team and vinifies everything in Avallon. Recognisable among thousands thanks to their distinctive labels, the wines of Vini Viti Vici are today acclaimed at restaurants and natural wine shops around the world.

Terroirs and Vines of Vini Viti Vici

Vini Viti Vici works exclusively with grapes from small plots located in northern Burgundy, on appellations that are often forgotten and largely underestimated compared to their more famous neighbours: Irancy, Chitry, Coulanges-la-Vineuse, Épineuil, Tonnerre, Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre. This region, which produced large volumes of wine two centuries ago, almost disappeared after phylloxera and the arrival of the railway, before gradually being reborn thanks to a handful of talented and committed winemakers. Nicolas Vauthier is one of their most active ambassadors.

The soils are essentially Kimmeridgian clay-limestone, typical of the Chablis area and its surroundings, ideal for Chardonnay (the king of white varieties) and Pinot Noir (the dominant red variety), complemented by Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc and, locally, César (the historic variety of Irancy). All the grapes come from partner growers farmed according to organic principles, with no synthetic products used in the vineyard. Nicolas Vauthier selects plots with extreme care, favouring young hillside vines and forgotten old vines on sometimes tiny vineyard sites (barely 20 ares), with naturally low yields. This freshness, so typical of northern Burgundy, gives the wines a lively and energetic aromatic signature, even in the warmest vintages.

Vinifications of Vini Viti Vici

At the cellar in Avallon, Nicolas Vauthier applies a philosophy of minimal intervention, faithful to the spirit of the greatest natural winemakers. The grapes, harvested at full maturity by his team, are vinified according to the following principle: let the wine make itself, without additives, without added sulphur, without excess new oak, and without any oenological intervention that could disturb the natural balance of the juice (rackings are carried out without pumping, by gravity). Fermentations start naturally with the indigenous yeasts present on the berries.

The reds made from Pinot Noir, Gamay and César are vinified as whole clusters using gentle semi-carbonic maceration, while the whites of Chardonnay, Aligoté and Sauvignon ferment in tanks or old barrels depending on the cuvée. Certain white cuvées, such as the Aligoté Breau, undergo skin ageing (orange-style maceration), imparting a unique texture and great complexity. The wines are neither fined nor filtered, and the sulphur dose, when used, remains below 25 mg per litre. The ageing periods, generally a minimum of 12 months, can last considerably longer depending on Nicolas's judgement — he only bottles when the wine has found its balance.

The Vini Viti Vici Cuvées

The Bourgogne Aligoté Breau cuvée is an iconic signature of the estate. Made from Aligoté planted in 1954 on clay-limestone soils, vinified two-thirds in tank and one-third in 228-liter barrels with skin maceration, this "orange" wine displays a veiled yellow robe and captivating aromas of lemon tart, fresh herbs, cinnamon and tropical notes (pineapple, cantaloupe melon), with a taut, biscuity and mineral finish.

The Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre Breau Blanc cuvée is a hand-harvested Chardonnay, fermented in oak barrels, with no added sulphur. A fresh, elegant wine marked by notes of fresh peach, white fruits and citrus, with a crystalline palate and a savoury, saline finish.

The Chanvan Blanc cuvée is a superb Chardonnay from northern Burgundy, praised for its exemplary finesse. A pure, taut and mineral palate, with chiselled aromas of citrus, white flowers and hazelnut, with carefully integrated ageing and a great capacity to develop beautifully in the bottle.

The Chitry Blanc cuvée is a Chardonnay from this confidential appellation near Saint-Bris. A fresh, taut wine marked by a sharp minerality characteristic of Kimmeridgian soils, with aromas of citrus, green apple and flint, offering a pure expression of northern Burgundian Chardonnay.

The Macération Melon is an original and confidential cuvée, made from Melon de Bourgogne. Vinified with skin maceration in the manner of orange wines, this atypical white wine seduces with its texture, its crystalline freshness and its brilliant fruit.

The Macération Pinot Blanc is another bold cuvée from the estate. Pinot Blanc vinified with gentle maceration, revealing bewitching aromas of ripe white fruits, fresh herbs and soft spices, with a dense and flavoursome palate leading to a digestible and mineral finish.

The Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse cuvée is a Pinot Noir from this confidential appellation in northern Burgundy. A fresh and fruity wine marked by aromas of cherry, raspberry and soft spices, with a fine mineral backbone, silky tannins and an elegant finish characteristic of the Vauthier signature.

The Irancy cuvée is the estate's great red speciality. Pinot Noir (sometimes blended with a touch of César, the appellation's historic grape variety), vinified as whole clusters, this wine combines aromatic precision and astonishing depth. A fresh palate, brilliant red and black fruits, a long and mineral finish, in an addictive style that has built the reputation of Nicolas Vauthier.

The Épineuil cuvée comes from this small appellation in the Tonnerrois, neighbouring Chablis. A taut, refined Pinot Noir, marked by a characteristic aromatic freshness, pure aromas of cherry and peony, and a particularly fine mineral backbone.

The Gamay cuvée is produced in certain years from grapes sourced in Beaujolais or from Burgundian plots selected by Nicolas Vauthier. Gamay vinified as whole clusters according to the estate's natural principles, revealing a brilliant fruit, a generous and thirst-quenching palate, faithful to the jubilant spirit of great natural Gamays.