Thomas Morey

History of Domaine Thomas Morey

The history of Domaine Thomas Morey has its roots in the 17th century. In 1643, Claude Morey, originally from Paris-l'Hôpital, a small commune in Saône-et-Loire, settled in Chassagne-Montrachet where he worked as a vineyard clerk, cooper and cask maker. Since then, generations have succeeded one another, inheriting parcels, acquiring others, passing on their know-how with constancy and passion. It was not until the end of the 19th century that viticulture became the exclusive main activity of the family.

Thomas Morey today represents the tenth generation of this illustrious winemaking lineage. After working twelve years within his father Bernard Morey's family estate, himself a legendary figure of Chassagne-Montrachet, Thomas decided in 2006 to strike out on his own and create his own domaine with his wife Sylvie. The first vintage signed Thomas Morey came from the 2007 harvest, marking the beginning of a winemaking adventure acclaimed from its first bottles by the specialized press.

His reputation quickly extends beyond the borders of Burgundy. Ultimate recognition: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti entrusts him with the maintenance of its precious vines in the legendary Montrachet Grand Cru, supreme recognition of the meticulous care he brings to each of his 57 parcels. Thomas Morey is part of a new generation of Burgundian winemakers who combine family heritage and modern vision, deliberately moving away from the once-dominant oaky and opulent style to adopt a more precise, more mineral approach, more faithful to the expression of the terroir.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Thomas Morey

Domaine Thomas Morey draws its strength from the diversity and exceptional quality of its terroirs. The vineyards, spread across seven villages in the Côte de Beaune, rest primarily on clay-limestone soils, rich in minerals, characteristic of the great Burgundian appellations. These soils give the wines a harmonious structure, beautiful aromatic complexity and that tense minerality associated with the great Chardonnays of the Côte de Beaune.

The vineyard is spread over two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Pinot Noir. The oldest parcels, some planted in the 1950s and 1960s, testify to a deep attachment to the vine as a living heritage. This is particularly the case for the Bâtard-Montrachet vines, aged about 70 years, whose root depth and phenolic maturity contribute to the extraordinary complexity of the Grand Cru.

As early as 2011, Thomas Morey engaged the domaine in a conversion to organic farming, banning herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers from the entire vineyard. This eco-responsible approach resulted in obtaining Organic Agriculture (AB) certification in 2017. The vines are worked according to the Guyot Poussard pruning method, with plowing carried out in all seasons to aerate the soils and promote their microbial activity. Biodiversity is preserved throughout the vineyard, strengthening soil vitality and authentic expression of the terroirs.

Vinifications at Domaine Thomas Morey

In the cellar, Thomas Morey applies a resolutely non-interventionist philosophy, based on respect for the grape and the purest possible expression of the terroir. Harvesting is done by hand, and the Chardonnays are picked as a priority to preserve their natural acidity, which guarantees the freshness and tension that characterize his white wines.

Fermentation is entirely spontaneous, with indigenous yeasts present on the grapes themselves, without any addition of sulfur during this phase. This natural approach promotes authentic aromatic expression and great complexity. For white wines, aging is carried out on very fine lees, without bâtonnage, in classic 228-liter barrels and 350-liter casks, with a deliberately moderate proportion of new wood (about 20%) so as not to alter the purity of the fruit and the typicity of the terroir. The aging period is extended, between 16 and 18 months, with a stay in tank before bottling, a technique that refines the texture and length of the wines.

For red wines, the grapes are entirely destemmed, then fermented delicately in order to obtain gentle extractions that preserve the freshness and finesse of the Pinot Noir. The reds undergo neither fining nor filtration, allowing the wine to express itself in all its naturalness. The total sulfur content in the finished wines is limited to 35 mg/l, in accordance with commitments to natural winemaking. This rigorous and discreet expertise gives the entire range a recognizable stylistic signature: fine, slender, energetic wines, like a high-level athlete.

The Cuvées of Domaine Thomas Morey

White Wines

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru: The undisputed jewel of the domaine, the Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is made from vines over 70 years old. It is the most complex and deepest wine in the range, offering dense and concentrated matter, where the richness of the terroir and the age of the vines are fully expressed. On the nose, delicate notes of white flowers, citrus, honey and light toasted minerality. On the palate, the wine combines power and finesse, with a long and refined finish of rare elegance.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embrazées: This premier cru embodies Thomas Morey's precise and tense style. Les Embrazées offer an expressive nose of white peach, hawthorn and chalk, extended by a palate of great finesse, supported by beautiful acidity and remarkable aromatic persistence. Aged 16 to 18 months in barrels with a low percentage of new wood, this wine reveals all the depth of the Chassagne-Montrachet terroir.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Vide Bourse: Considered one of the most mineral premier crus in the range, Vide Bourse is distinguished by its limestone tension and sustained length on the palate. An exemplary wine of minerality, with definite aging potential.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffière: Located on the border with Puligny-Montrachet, this premier cru expresses remarkable aromatic complexity, blending floral, mineral and fruity notes in a tense and precise palate.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Dents de Chien: This hillside climat produces a wine of great purity, with beautiful tension and fresh aromas of citrus and flint. A terroir wine in all its splendor.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines: Les Baudines offer a generous and fruity expression, peach, apricot, mango notes, in a perfect balance between richness and freshness. An accessible and pleasant premier cru, an excellent table companion.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot: Morgeot is one of the largest and most renowned premier crus of Chassagne-Montrachet. Thomas Morey's version stands out for its roundness and depth, carried by notes of white stone fruits and an elegant mineral finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes: Les Chenevottes offer a lively, floral and precise wine, faithfully reflecting the freshness of the northern terroirs of Chassagne-Montrachet. A premier cru that seduces with its straightness and aromatic frankness.

Chassagne-Montrachet Village (white): Thomas Morey's village appellation is a beautiful gateway into the world of the domaine. Elegant, balanced, with notes of white fruits and beautiful tension, it is a wine of immediate pleasure, ideal for discovering the Morey style at an accessible price.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffière: This premier cru from Puligny-Montrachet affirms Thomas Morey's talent in one of Burgundy's most prestigious appellations. La Truffière delivers a wine of great finesse, with aromas of toasted hazelnut, white flowers and chalky minerality, with a precise palate and a finish of great persistence.

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Puits: A gem of the range for discerning connoisseurs, this premier cru from Saint-Aubin demonstrates that the less publicized appellations of the Côte de Beaune can produce wines of exceptional elegance. Mineral, tense, with striking purity, Le Puits rivals without any complex many premier crus from Chassagne or Puligny.

Saint-Aubin Village (white): A wine of beautiful freshness, with a limestone minerality characteristic of Saint-Aubin. Accessible and refined, it represents the best value for money in the range for purchasing white Burgundy wine.

Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves (white): This rare white premier cru from Beaune brings a gourmet and fruity touch to the range, with beautiful roundness and a slightly oaky finish. A characterful wine, typical of the Beaune style.

Red Wines

Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves (red): An emblematic figure of the domaine's red wines, this premier cru from Beaune delivers an elegant Pinot Noir, with a subtly smoky nose and silky tannins. A wine of beautiful structure, without filtration or fining, that ages remarkably well.

Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau: This premier cru from Santenay reveals all the character of this southern terroir of the Côte de Beaune: tense fruit, fine tannins, a balanced palate with notes of tart red fruits and undergrowth. A red wine of beautiful maturity and great elegance.

Santenay Vieilles Vignes: Made from old Pinot Noir vines, this Santenay offers superior aromatic concentration, with notes of black cherries, tobacco and sweet spices. A gourmet and persistent red.

Maranges 1er Cru La Fuissière: This premier cru from Maranges, often underestimated, seduces with its sincerity and freshness. Thomas Morey produces a vibrant red with fine tannins, typical of a Pinot Noir carefully aged in limestone terroir.

Chassagne-Montrachet Village (red): The domaine's red Chassagne-Montrachet is a beautiful example of Pinot Noir from the Côte de Beaune, combining fresh fruit and depth, with beautiful persistence on the palate. A refined red, representative of the domaine's style.