Catherine et Claude Maréchal

The History of Domaine Catherine et Claude Maréchal

The story began in 1981. Claude Maréchal, the son of a grain farmer from Bligny-lès-Beaune, had been deeply passionate about vines and wine since childhood. After initially training in electronics, he chose a life on the land and leased his first plots—around four to five hectares—in various Côte de Beaune villages. The beginnings were modest and demanding: France was only just emerging from the economic effects of the oil crisis, and becoming an independent winemaker was as much a challenge as a calling.

In those early years, Claude embarked on a formative journey that would shape his philosophy for good. He forged lasting friendships with some of the greatest names in French wine: Henri Jayer, an undisputed Burgundy legend, as well as Auguste Clape of Cornas, Thierry Allemand, and Jacques Reynaud of Château Rayas. These encounters with leading winemakers helped him refine his vision of viticulture and winemaking, absorbing the best practices and reinterpreting them in his own way.

In 1984, the estate took shape with the purchase of its first plots in Ladoix and Savigny-lès-Beaune. Catherine joined the estate full-time in 1998 after changing careers, bringing her rigor and organizational skills to a growing business. Together, they expanded the vineyard to 12.5 hectares, with a range that now spans eleven distinct appellations, all in the Côte de Beaune. Recognized today as one of the Côte d’Or’s finest estates for the exceptional value of its wines, Domaine Maréchal remains an example of artisanal integrity in a wine world sometimes tempted by standardization.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Catherine et Claude Maréchal

The vineyard extends across emblematic Côte de Beaune villages: Bligny-lès-Beaune, Ladoix, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Auxey-Duresses, Pommard, and Volnay. This mosaic of terroirs is one of the estate’s great strengths, allowing it to offer a full range, from regional Bourgogne to the most renowned village appellations, as well as a prestigious Premier Cru.

The grape varieties grown are those that made Burgundy famous. Pinot Noir dominates the vineyard, covering more than 10 hectares, followed by Chardonnay and Aligoté. The vines are around thirty years old on average, with some plots qualifying as old vines. They grow on a wide variety of soils: gravel-rich clay-limestone in Bligny-lès-Beaune and Chorey, bluish calcareous marl in Auxey-Duresses, iron-rich clay-limestone in Pommard, and cooler, more mineral substrates in Savigny-lès-Beaune.

Respect for terroir lies at the heart of every vineyard decision. For more than twenty years, the estate has used neither chemical fertilizers nor herbicides. The soils are cultivated mechanically to preserve their biological life and natural structure. Pruning is severe to limit yields and concentrate the expression of fruit. Vineyard management follows a deeply organic ethos without treating certification as an end in itself: the goal is simply to produce the healthiest, most balanced grapes possible, fully ripe but never overripe.

All grapes are harvested by hand and meticulously sorted both in the vineyard and at the winery, so that only fully ripe, healthy fruit is selected.

Winemaking at Domaine Catherine et Claude Maréchal

Claude Maréchal’s winemaking philosophy can be summed up in a few simple but demanding words: naturalness, precision, and respect for the fruit. Every effort is made to ensure that each wine is above all a faithful reflection of its appellation and terroir, without imposing an artificial technological or stylistic stamp.

For the red wines, the grapes are fully destemmed, yielding silkier tannins and a more direct, purer expression of fruit. Maceration lasts ten to fifteen days, with regular punch-downs to gently extract color, aromas, and tannic structure. Fermentation relies on the native yeasts naturally present on the grapes. Sulfur use is deliberately limited at every stage. The wines are bottled without filtration, preserving their full substance and aging potential.

Aging in Burgundian oak barrels lasts 12 to 18 months, depending on the wine. The proportion of new oak is deliberately kept low, at around 15 to 20%, so that it remains in the background, adding just a touch of complexity and length without obscuring the expression of terroir. The result is an unmistakable signature: wines with delightfully fragrant fruit, a silky texture, a juicy, inviting palate, and exceptionally fine tannins.

For the white wines, aging in tanks or barrels lasts twelve months, with the same emphasis on keeping oak subtle and preserving the natural freshness of Chardonnay and Aligoté.

The Wines of Domaine Catherine et Claude Maréchal

Ladoix "Les Chaillots" (Red)

Ladoix is one of the Côte de Beaune’s lesser-known appellations, and this wine comes from a single plot adjoining the renowned Bois Roussot vineyard site, formerly owned by the Prince de Mérode. The nose is complex and gently spicy, with distinctive floral notes. The palate offers depth, drive, and captivating aromatic development, underpinned by admirable structural elegance.

Chorey-lès-Beaune (Red)

Blended from three plots totaling nearly two hectares of old vines, this Chorey-lès-Beaune is one of the estate’s finest ambassadors. Its intense, elegant nose offers cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant, with a very subtle hint of oak. The palate is full and juicy, with remarkably supple tannins and a long, lingering finish. 

Savigny-lès-Beaune (Red)

The estate’s village-level Savigny offers greater freshness and aromatic clarity, with lovely depth of fruit supported by subtle herbal complexity. The palate is focused and mineral, with a lively energy that makes this a wine to enjoy now or to cellar.

Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes (Red)

A blend of several plots, some in Premier Cru areas (Liards, Planchots, Pimentières, Peuillets…), covering nearly two hectares in all. This wine takes a step up in intensity and complexity: a more expansive floral bouquet, greater drive and freshness, and a texture that is less yielding but more taut—built for speed rather than comfort—with concentrated flavors carrying through the finish. 

Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières (Red)

The estate’s Premier Cru is a distinctive, structured wine combining Savigny’s natural freshness with the depth and elegance of great terroirs. Les Lavières, one of the appellation’s most highly regarded Premiers Crus, yields a wine built to age: firm but never harsh, it needs a few years in the cellar to reveal its full character.

Auxey-Duresses (Red)

Grown on the bluish, calcareous marl typical of the village, this red wine embodies the appellation’s character, with pronounced aromatic intensity, red-fruit notes, and a supple, silky structure. Fifteen days of maceration and 18 months of aging in Burgundy barrels give it lovely depth and length.

Auxey-Duresses (White)

A white Auxey with a taut, mineral profile, representative of the great whites of the Côte de Beaune. The mosaic of terroirs that shapes this wine—a marly anticline and a clay-rich foothill site—gives it a character typical of the appellation: intense red-fruit notes against a delicate backdrop, elegance, roundness, and a smooth texture. Aged with a modest proportion of new oak (15 to 20%), it combines complexity with freshness.

Volnay (Red)

From the Grand Poissots vineyard site on the edge of Les Brouillards, this Volnay offers the floral, silky opening that is the appellation’s hallmark, backed by elegant dark red fruit. Mineral and full of energy, it has a long, precise finish.

Pommard "La Chanière" (Red)

The estate’s most structured and serious wine. Grown on iron-rich clay-limestone soils, this Pommard has a concentrated texture and exceptionally ripe yet never aggressive tannins. It offers a complex nose of violet, sour cherry, and dark fruit, followed by a dense, persistent, perfectly balanced palate. A deeply savory finish rewards patience: a few years in the cellar will allow it to reveal its full majesty.