De Villaine

History of Domaine de Villaine

The history of Domaine de Villaine begins in 1971 when Aubert de Villaine, the celebrated co-manager of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and his American wife Pamela acquired a property of approximately 20 hectares in the discreet village of Bouzeron, in the Côte Chalonnaise. Their ambition, bold for the time, was to rehabilitate the golden Aligoté grape variety and to demonstrate that a Burgundian terroir, when cultivated with rigour, can give birth to great wines regardless of its rank in the official hierarchy.

From 1986, the domaine committed to environmentally respectful viticulture and obtained organic farming certification in 1997, well before such an approach became commonplace. In 2001, Aubert de Villaine gradually entrusted management to his nephew Pierre de Benoist, who rigorously continues the family philosophy. Under his direction, the domaine expanded by notably 10 hectares in Rully, reaching nearly 29 hectares today, while consolidating its reputation among the finest signatures of the Côte Chalonnaise.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine de Villaine

The vineyard of Domaine de Villaine extends over sun-drenched hillsides, between 270 and 350 metres above sea level, across four major appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise: Bouzeron, Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise, Rully and Mercurey, complemented by parcels in Santenay and Saint-Aubin. The soils, lean and with a high limestone content, punctuated by Jurassic clays and ferruginous ooliths, ensure natural yield regulation and endow the wines with a mineral signature of rare precision. The warm and dry microclimate of the Bouzeron valley encourages a slow and harmonious ripening of the grapes.

The grape varieties reflect Burgundian diversity: the golden Aligoté, selected from very old vines for its low yields and fine aromatics, occupies a central place, complemented by Chardonnay (two-thirds of the white wine surface area) and Pinot Noir for the reds. The vines, with an average age of 45 years, are tended with extreme care: severe pruning, bud removal, green harvesting and yields deliberately reduced by around 20% compared to the specifications, in order to deliver ripe, healthy bunches that are fully representative of each climat.

Vinifications of Domaine de Villaine

In the cellar, the winemaking philosophy remains faithful to the purest Burgundian spirit: to intervene as little as possible and let the terroir speak. The harvests are entirely manual, followed by a rigorous sorting of the berries. The white grapes are placed whole in a pneumatic press, whose slow and gentle pressing yields clear juices, free of astringency, preserving the aromatic finesse of the Aligoté and Chardonnay.

Fermentations are conducted with indigenous yeasts, in vats, barrels and oak foudres, with careful temperature control to preserve freshness and aromas. The wines are aged on fine lees, with a measured proportion of new oak so as to respect the purity of the fruit. The reds, vinified in Pinot Noir, benefit from gentle extractions and ageing in older barrels, producing silky, elegant wines with a fine tannic structure. Bottling takes place without excessive filtration, delivering living, vibrant wines built for ageing.

The cuvées of Domaine de Villaine

The Bouzeron is the domain's flagship cuvée, vinified from golden Aligoté sourced from 17 parcels spread across the entire village appellation (the only one in France dedicated exclusively to Aligoté). Golden in colour, with a powerful nose of chalk, hawthorn and acacia, a round, vibrant, dense and refreshing palate, this wine can be enjoyed young but may be kept for around ten years.

The Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé is a white Chardonnay from a stony terroir. Aged in barrels and demi-muids, it is distinguished by its purity, its notes of citrus fruits, white flowers and its chiselled minerality, extended by a taut and saline finish.

The Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise La Fortune, vinified in Pinot Noir, captivates with its freshness, its aromas of red fruits (strawberry, cherry) and its silky texture. A gourmand red, accessible young, combining elegance and precision.

The Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise La Digoine comes from a perfectly exposed Pinot Noir parcel in Bouzeron, renowned for centuries for the quality of its reds. Denser and more structured than La Fortune, it offers fine ageing potential and reveals deep fruit, fine tannins and a distinguished finish.

The Rully Les Saint-Jacques, a white Chardonnay, unfolds an inviting nose of white fruits and flowers, followed by a fresh, pure and elegant palate. A superb village-level expression of the Rully terroirs.

The Rully 1er Cru Les Margotés, from a confidential parcel of just 0.4 hectares, delivers a Chardonnay of great purity, with aromas of orchard fruits, white flowers and chalk, endowed with a fine acidity and a perfectly mastered bitterness.

The Rully 1er Cru Grésigny, a white Chardonnay, offers an ample and deep substance, marked by mineral and floral notes, combining tension and generosity in a remarkable balance.

The Rully 1er Cru Montpalais, situated on a south-east facing hillside, delivers a generous Chardonnay with slightly exotic notes, complemented by hints of vanilla and soft spices, with a superb aromatic persistence.

The Rully 1er Cru Rabourcé, considered one of the greatest premier crus of Rully, unfolds a powerful, deep and muscular white, capable of standing the test of time thanks to its old vines planted on a steep slope of clay and limestone.

The Rully 1er Cru Cloux Blanc (sometimes called Les Cloux) comes from a perfectly situated mid-slope parcel, exposed to the morning sun. This energetic Chardonnay, with remarkable aromatic finesse and saline mineral notes, presents a long and elegant finish.

The Rully 1er Cru Raclot, a white Chardonnay, is distinguished by its straightforwardness, its chalky minerality and its pure aromas of white fruits. A precise wine built for ageing.

The Rully 1er Cru Les Champs Cloux, vinified in Pinot Noir, is one of the finest red expressions of the domaine. Deep, fresh, endowed with a good acidity and notes of raspberry and redcurrant, it offers an ageing potential of 10 to 15 years.

The Mercurey Les Montots, a red Pinot Noir, offers a noble and structured wine, with fine tannins and an elegant finish. A cuvée of great purity that expresses all the fleshy character of the Mercurey appellation.

The Santenay 1er Cru Passetemps, from the Côte de Beaune, captivates with its expressiveness, blending notes of red fruits, rose petals, peony and a touch of spice, on an elegant and refined structure.

The Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Perrières, a white Chardonnay from a very stony terroir, offers a taut, mineral and vibrant wine, aged between 12 and 18 months in barrels and demi-muids, with a bottling followed by one year of rest at the domaine before release.