Fontaine Gagnard

History of Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

The family has worked the vines in Chassagne-Montrachet for several centuries, but the estate as it is known today was founded in 1985. It was established by Laurence Gagnard, daughter of Jacques and Marie-Josèphe Gagnard, and her husband Richard Fontaine, who had just completed a career in the air force. The original four hectares came chiefly from the Gagnard-Delagrange holdings in Chassagne, supplemented by a few parcels belonging to the Delagrange family in Pommard. Céline’s grandfather had the foresight to buy premier cru and grand cru vineyards in the 1970s that no one wanted at the time, including a share of Montrachet acquired from Fleurot.

The estate has continued to grow, expanding from four to twelve hectares, chiefly by bringing together vineyards owned by different branches of the close-knit Gagnard family, whose members often still work together in the vines. Céline Fontaine joined her parents in 2007 and gradually took charge of both viticulture and winemaking, bringing fresh energy without abandoning the family’s values. In 2018, Frédéric Robert joined her after working at Domaine Armand Rousseau from 2006 to 2017. 

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

Most of the parcels lie in Chassagne-Montrachet, whose terroirs the estate captures with rare breadth. The clay-limestone soils vary considerably with their position on the slope: deeper, more clay-rich marls lower down toward Morgeot and La Boudriotte, and stony, very chalky soils higher up at Les Caillerets, La Romanée and La Grande Montagne. The last of these tiny climats sits at the heart of the village’s finest premier cru belt, alongside Virondot and Grandes Ruchottes.

The Chassagne village wine itself comes from five or six lieux-dits across the appellation, with different soils and exposures from north to south, giving it rare complexity for a village wine. The estate also holds one of the largest shares of Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, the smallest grand cru in the Côte de Beaune, as well as small parcels in Bâtard-Montrachet and Montrachet. A few hectares farther north, in Volnay and Pommard, complete the holdings. Vineyard work continues year-round, with thorough plowing, soil analysis and thoughtful cultivation, all with one aim: to obtain exceptionally healthy grapes with richness and great purity.

Winemaking at Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

The methods are deliberately traditional and, above all, the same for every cuvée, allowing each terroir’s character to speak rather than the winemaker’s hand. The grapes are harvested by hand, the whites gently pressed and then carefully settled, and all fermentations rely solely on indigenous yeasts, without unnecessary additives.

The wines age in oak barrels for twelve to eighteen months: around a year for the whites and eighteen months for the reds. The proportion of new oak remains measured, at roughly fifteen to twenty percent for village appellations and thirty to forty percent for premier and grand crus. Since the late 1980s, the estate has purchased its own French oak through a timber broker, who dries it for two years before passing it to a local cooper to make custom barrels. This attention to the barrels goes a long way toward explaining how well the oak integrates and the depth of texture in the wines.

The Wines of Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

Chassagne-Montrachet Village Blanc: sourced from five or six lieux-dits across the appellation, with varied soils and exposures, it achieves rare complexity for a village wine. Rich, fruity and long, it can be enjoyed young or cellared for five to ten years. A classic produced in limited quantities.

Chassagne-Montrachet Village Rouge: a basket of red fruit, wild strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry, with supple tannins and lovely length. Substantial and surprisingly age-worthy, it recalls that Chassagne was long a land of Pinot Noir.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean: consistently the most approachable of the estate’s premier crus, it charms even in its youth with generous fruit and roundness. Highly sought after for restaurant wine lists for this reason, it nevertheless offers a clear expression of its terroir.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie: more structured than Clos Saint-Jean, it combines ripe white fruit, almond and chalky minerality on a firm frame. In great vintages, it can age for fifteen to twenty years without losing its vigor.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes: located on the Puligny side, this climat yields an elegant, taut wine with notes of citrus, acacia blossom and flint. The palate is focused and saline, with lovely precision.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers: a bright nose of yellow plum, white peach and sea spray that opens beautifully with air. The palate is balanced and intense, with a little more body than the other cuvées and a lingering saline finish.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos des Murées (Monopole): exclusive to the estate, this walled vineyard offers a particularly complete expression, balancing generous richness, notes of hazelnut and fresh butter, and a distinct mineral backbone. An exceptionally rare wine in the range.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot: from the extensive area whose history reaches back to Morgeot Abbey, destroyed during the Revolution. The well-defined bouquet blends honeysuckle and beeswax; the palate opens fresh, then broadens, revealing a lovely complexity that takes time to emerge.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte: neighboring Morgeot lower on the slope, on more clay-rich soils, it yields a fleshy, generous wine with aromas of ripe yellow fruit and sweet spice, supported by fine acidity that helps it age gracefully.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Grande Montagne: a rare holding in a tiny climat high on the slope, at the heart of the village’s finest premier cru belt. The wine draws remarkable tension, precise minerality and a length that places it among the greats.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets: exceptionally chalky soils regularly produce the estate’s premier cru with the greatest aging potential. Crystalline, focused and profoundly saline, it requires patience but amply rewards the wait.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée: striking and consistently superb, this climat high on the slope combines restrained power, aromatic complexity and remarkable mineral tension. Together with Les Caillerets, it stands at the pinnacle of the house’s premier crus.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean Rouge and Morgeot Rouge: the estate’s two red premier crus from the village. Clos Saint-Jean emphasizes suppleness and vibrant red fruit, while Morgeot is denser and more structured, with dark fruit, spice and firm tannins built for aging.

Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru: the estate holds one of the largest shares of the smallest grand cru in the Côte de Beaune. The wine combines floral finesse, candied citrus and chalky minerality of rare elegance, with a precise, lingering palate. Produced in tiny quantities.

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru: more powerful and opulent than its smaller neighbor, it offers a broad palate and aromas of fresh butter, toasted hazelnut and ripe yellow fruit, carried by fine acidity. A majestic grand cru to cellar for at least eight to ten years.

Le Montrachet Grand Cru: the pinnacle of the range, acquired in the 1970s by Céline Fontaine’s grandfather. Produced in extremely small quantities, it brings together power, depth and refinement, with extraordinary richness and a saline freshness that carries the finish seemingly without end. A collector’s wine.

Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes: one of Volnay’s finest climats, high on the slope on stony soil. Regularly praised for its finesse, it offers violet, raspberry and spice over a silky texture and delicate tannins, with an elegant, lingering finish.

Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens: the house’s flagship red, from Pommard’s most renowned climat, whose iron-rich soils give it its name. Powerful and well-built, it combines deep dark fruit, licorice and ferrous notes, with firm but polished tannins and a beautifully persistent finish. A wine for very long aging, best reserved for richly flavored dishes and game.