It is in a far more discreet setting, compared with the Côte de Nuits that the de Villaine couple chose to establish themselves. A key ambassador for the inscription of Burgundy’s climats as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Aubert de Villaine applied here the same exacting standards as at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: biodynamic vineyard management, organic certification, natural winemaking methods and grapes harvested and sorted entirely by hand. Here, the vines, averaging 45 years old, are planted exclusively on hillside slopes between 270 and 350 metres in altitude. Lean, limestone-rich soils naturally regulate yields, while the warm microclimate of the valley encourages optimal ripening.
Since 2001, Pierre de Benoist has gradually taken over the reins of the de Villaine estate (formerly known as A & P de Villaine). Whether from Mercurey, Rully or Bouzeron, the wines now rank among the finest of the Côte Chalonnaise. Enjoyed in their youth or after a few years in bottle, the estate’s distinctive white wines – Bouzeron being the only appellation in Burgundy whose wines must be made exclusively from Aligoté – reveal bright, lively acidity and moreish charm.