‣BURGUNDY, FRANCE
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MAISON AMBROISE (Prémeaux-Prissey)
Represented by Bertrand AmbroiseThe Ambroise family settled in Prémeaux-Prissey, near Nuits-Saint-Georges, 300 years ago. Bertrand Ambroise studied viticulture and winemaking and then traveled to Champagne and Cognac to learn the approaches of other regions. In 1987, he created the house of Ambroise, a négociant that also draws on the family’s 40 acres, which includes two Premier Crus in Nuits-Saint-Georges. They now produce 11,000 cases a year with bottlings of Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Bertrand views winemaking as a dialogue between traditionalists and modernists. |
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DOMAINE ARNOUX PERE & FILS (Chorey-les-Beaune)
Represented by Pascal ArnouxPascal Arnoux is a graduate of the Lycée Viticole in Beaune. After working with his uncles Michel and Rémi for most of the past two decades, he took over complete control of the family domaine in 2007. Pascal works his vineyards by hand and employs natural alternatives to chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, and many other of the latest bio-friendly viticulture methods. Pascal is non-interventionist in the cellar, though he does put a lot of thought into the oak selection process. He knows a thing or two about barrels, as his father was a cooper. Based in the village of Chorey-lès-Beaune, Domaine Arnoux covers just under 50 acres spread out over several parcels in Chorey and Savigny-lès-Beaune, Beaune, and the hill of Corton. |
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DOMAINE CHARLES AUDOIN (Marsannay)
Represented by Cyril AudoinDomaine Charles Audoin is located in the Marsannay appellation just south of Dijon, which is known as the “Gateway to Burgundy.” The Domaine began in 1972 with just three hectares of vines. Along with his wife, oenologist Marie-Françoise Audoin, Charles Audoin has since built up their Domaine to 14 hectares. Their son Cyril has been on board since 2000, and together they are continuing the Burgundian tradition of respecting the terroir. Their vines on average are 45 years old. In the winery, they bottle without fining or filtering and produce about 4,000 cases annually. |
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BACHELDER BOURGOGNE (Nuits-Saint-Georges)
Represented by Thomas & Mary BachelderAlthough Thomas and Mary also make wine in Oregon and Niagara, Burgundy is Thomas' spiritual home - the sacred ground where the Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes first evolved, then happily grew and acclimatized. The blessed Côte d'Or (the 'Golden Hills') is a long strand of hills stretching from Dijon to Chalon - and is home to the region's 'sense-of-place'-defining limestone. There, Thomas works with the best organic vignerons to ensure that the grapes are grown to exacting specifications. Their vineyards stretch from Nuits-Saint Georges in the north, through Beaune heading south to Puligny-Montrachet. Bachelder has rented modest but deep cellars in Nuits-Saint Georges: centuries old, vaulted ‘caves’ in which they make and patiently age their wine. There, Thomas crafts wines that are finely-perfumed and tightly-wound, offering the classic refined fruit and textured minerality of the best limestone terroirs of Burgundy. |
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DOMAINE CHAMPY (Beaune)
Represented by Dimitri BazasFounded in 1720, Domaine Champy is the oldest wine house in Burgundy, thus heading an ancient commercial tradition. A part of the living history of Burgundy, it remains one of the smaller, high-quality wine houses of the Côte d’Or. In 1990, Henri and Pierre Meurgey, longtime courtiers (representing domaines that sell their wine to négociants), bought the cellars with their partner Pierre Beuchet. Producing only high-quality and well-balanced wines, each wine reflects the unique character of its terroir. Dimitri Bazas has been the winemaker since 1999, after having worked for eight years as a consultant to the finest domaines of the region. With 30 acres of vineyards, Champy vinifies a majority of its wines. Not believing that bigger is better, the Meurgeys insist, “We are not hectomaniacs.” |
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DOMAINE CLOS DE LA CHAPELLE (Volnay)
Represented by Mark O'ConnellDomaine Clos de la Chapelle is a new name of a very old domaine. Originally founded by Victor Boillot in 1865 with his purchase of Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle (monopole), the domaine added Volnay 1er Cru En Carelle and Pommard 1er Cru Les Chanlins très vieilles vignes over the course of the next half century. The reputation of the Clos de la Chapelle monopole dates back to the 19th century, with Louis Pasteur himself writing regularly to Victor Boillot requesting bottles of this exceptional wine. After nearly 150 years in the Boillot family, the domaine was purchased by Mark M. O’Connell, a life-long Burgundy lover, in cooperation with Domaine Champy, who farms the vineyards following organic and biodynamic practices. With the recent purchase of .25 hectares of Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons, the domaine now comprises about 1.5 hectares, all premier cru. Together with Pierre Meurgey, the Managing Director, Winemaker Dimitri Bazas, and Vineyard Manager Francis Simon, the vision is to produce the best expression of terroir inherent in each tiny parcel. Total production for all vineyards combined is about 500 cases in an average year. |
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DOMAINE DES CLOS (Nuits-Saint-Georges)
Represented by Grégoire Bichot & Yanting LiuGrégoire was born in the family Bichot, which is one of the most important wine merchants in Burgundy. He studied wine growing in Beaune, Macon and Dijon. After that, Grégoire travelled to Australia and worked for Rosemount Estate in Hunter Valley. When he returned to Burgundy, he also returned to his family company. As he had always dreamed of making his own wines, he left the company in 1995 and created Domaine des Clos. The Domaine dates back to 1160, when it was acquired by Mathilde the Duchess of Burgundy. She subsequently donated it to the monks of the Abby de Tard, a donation that was registered and accepted by Pope Innocent III in 1198. Since then, ownership has been transferred several times until it was finally acquired by Grégoire. His philosophy prohibits the use of any herbicide or pesticide, and he works to promote the natural balance of the plant. |
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DOMAINE CYROT-BUTHIAU (Pommard)
Represented by Olivier CyrotDomaine Cyrot-Buthiau is located in a small village surrounded by vineyards in the heart of the Côte de Beaune. Paul Joseph Cyrot, who had been the manager of Château de Pommard and then Clos de Tart in Morey-Saint-Denis, created the Estate in the 1920s. In addition to these two prestigious properties, he acquired vineyards additional vineyards in Pommard. Four generations have passed since then. In 1989 Olivier, the great-grandson, and his wife Fabienne, took over the estate which is now 6.35 hectares. The wines of Pommard have long been appreciated by wine lovers including Henri IV, Louis XV, Ronsard and Victor Hugo. They are exclusively red, from Pinot noir. Domaine Cyrot-Buthiau wines are detailed and robust, with beautiful ruby colors and aromas of red and black fruits. These exceptional wines require several years of cellaring depending on the vintage. |
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EVENING LAND VINEYARDS AU CHATEAU DE BLIGNY (Bligny-les-Beaune)
Represented by Christophe Vial & Greg RalstonBurgundy is Evening Land’s inspiration and True North; the paramount reference for our exploration of the world’s best terroir for Pinot noir and Chardonnay. In April 2012, Château de Bligny in Bligny-lès-Beaune became Evening Land’s new winery and headquarters. Construction on Château de Bligny began in the 14th century, creating an outpost to protect the city of Beaune from destruction caused by voracious armies. In 1980, the Château was converted to a winemaking facility. Evening Land is now bringing Château de Bligny into the modern age of vinification, blending tradition and technology. Winemaker Christophe Vial began his winemaking career in 1991 working directly under Dominique Lafon at Burgundy’s legendary Domaine des Comtes Lafon. After ten years, he left to become the winemaker at Domaine de Montille. In 2007, ready for a new challenge, Vial brought his skills and experience to Evening Land. His deep roots in Burgundy have allowed him to identify unique and distinctive parcels from which he sources fruit for his Evening Land wines. |
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DOMAINE GILLE (Comblanchien)
Represented by Gille Pierre & Gille MatthieuPierre Gille’s destiny is extraordinary. Who else controls the water, the air and the ground? It’s not just pretention. Pierre Gille is an action man: he sails, he flies, he grows. Just as he breathes. Through his Breton mother he is a sailor. Through his father’s family he is a wine-grower, just like his ancestors since the Middle Ages. Through his father, who told him from an early age of his exploits in the air force patrols, Pierre Gille was an airline pilot with Air France for 33 years. He learned to use the winds, not to go against them. Similarly, he encourages the vitality of the 13 hectares of vines of the family estate, which he took over in 1992. And thus, his raw material provides him with perfect indigenous yeasts, the exclusive elements of vinification without using chemicals. Since 2009 his son Matthieu, who used to work for NASA, has joined him. The two men agree in every point of view. They vinify exclusively Pinot noir and Chardonnay from Côte d’Or. |
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DOMAINE JEAN GRIVOT (Vosne-Romanée)
Represented by Mathilde GrivotDomaine Jean Grivot is generally seen as one of the finest in the Côte d'Or. At the end of the eighteenth century, just before the French Revolution, Joseph Grivot settled in Vosne-Romanée, but it was his son Gaston who developed the domaine. In 1919 Gaston sold vines in the lesser areas to buy a large parcel of the grand cru Clos de Vougeot. You can still see the gate he built today. He was one of the first oenologists to graduate from Dijon University in the 1920s, followed by his son, Jean, a few years later. Like his father, Jean acquired a parcel of grand cru land, 31 acres of Richebourg, in 1984 and was succeeded by his son Etienne in 1987. Mathilde Grivot, Etienne's daughter, spent the 2011 harvest in Oregon with Veronique Drouhin at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, and in 2013 we have the pleasure of having her join us for the IPNC. |
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DOMAINE MARC ROY (Gevrey-Chambertin)
Represented by Alexandrine Roy & Régine RoyDomaine Marc Roy includes nine acres of Pinot noir in Gevrey-Chambertin split into three distinctive “Cuvées”. “Vieilles Vignes” is made from a selection of the oldest vines of the estate (about 70 years old). “Clos Prieur” is made from this specific “climat”, ideally located just below the Grand Cru “Mazis-Chambertin”. “Cuvée Alexandrine” was first created in 2005 and made from a selection of “millerandées” grapes. One other acre is planted with Chardonnay to produce a rare white Marsannay «Les Champs Perdrix». After wine studies in Beaune, Alexandrine took over as the 4th generation owner/winemaker of Domaine Marc Roy in 2003. She continued to further her wine knowledge through experiences in Australia (2004) and New-Zealand (2005). Additionally, since 2007 she has been the consulting winemaker for Phelps Creek Vineyards in Oregon. Because great wines are born in the vineyards, Alexandrine gives strong attention all year long to the soils and vines to bring low yields of top quality grapes. Then, traditional winemaking with 100% destemmed-grapes, fermentation with native yeasts, punch downs by foot and moderated oak maturation treatments allows Alexandrine to craft wines with soul that reflect Gevrey-Chambertin’s specific and unique terroirs. |
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DOMAINE NICOLAS ROSSIGNOL (Volnay)
Represented by Nicolas RossignolNicolas Rossignol was born in 1974 and is the 5th generation of winemakers in the vineyards of Volnay. After studying wine growing at the Lycée de Beaune, he worked at Domaine Joseph Voillot as well as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, South Africa and Bordeaux. In 1997 he began his own estate with an area of only three hectares spread over several very well-respected appellations. He grew the domaine quickly, and now incorporates holdings in Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Pernand Vergelesses, Aloxe Corton and Savigny-lés-Beaune. Farming practices are kept simple and defer to the terroir. The use of herbicides has been replaced by a single annual plowing. Pruning is completed according to the lunar calendar. Every effort is made to yield healthy, ripe grapes. Winemaking is driven by the single goal of expressing each site's terroir. |
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AURELIEN VERDET (Arcenant)
Represented by Aurelien VerdetAurélien Verdet, born in April 1981, is an enthusiastic, driven young man. His father was one of the pioneers of organic viticulture back in the early 1970’s and since his retirement in 2005, Aurélien has carried on the tradition. He could have made a career as an Enduro/trial motorbiker and was on the verge of the French national team but opted instead for a quieter– and safer- life tending the family vineyards based in Arcenant near Nuits-Saint-George. Here, his own domaine comprised 4.5 hectares of Hautes Côtes de Nuits vineyards until 2009. In that year, he took over vines under a farming agreement in Vosne Romanée village and 1er cru Beaux Monts and 1er cru Nuits Damodes and Boudots. This entitled him to call them domaine holdings. He augments these supplies with grape contracts with likeminded organically leaning growers in Morey St. Denis, Chambolle Musigny, Gevrey Chambertin and Nuits St Georges. |
‣AUSTRIA
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HILLINGER (Jois, Austria)
Represented by Edgar Brutler & Winthrop PennockLeo Hillinger was born in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, into a traditional wine retailer's family. Even as a child, he developed a deep interest in the processes of his grandfather's vineyard. After studying wine growing in various schools, he completed numerous practical trainings abroad, initially in the Palatinate, where he became acquainted with the niceties of wine. At the age of 19 he was granted a scholarship from the Austrian Wine Marketing Society and moved to California, where he was employed in the vinification of quality wines. It was also at this time that the debate began regarding the cultivation of grape areas in as natural a way as possible, which characterizes the work of Hillinger today. In 1990, at the age of 23, Hillinger took over running the operation from his father and began to reform grape production in accordance with his own ideas. New knowledge gained from his travels to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand continued to be incorporated in his work. However, respect for the specific characteristics of his wines is always the most important thing for Hillinger. |
‣GERMANY
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ZIEREISEN (Efringen-Kirchen, Germany)
Represented by Hanspeter & Edeltraut ZiereisenThe Ziereisen family is a traditional, extended one. Four generations meet every day over lunch at a huge wooden table, including great-grandma Martha, born 1909. Hanspeter is responsible for the vines and wines. This requires a total commitment during the harvest period, a full and complete level of concentration. The entire workload of a single year lies in the hands of the winegrower during this time. The Ziereisen philosophy is that wines should reflect their provenance as purely as possible. This is why vines and wines are treated with great care by minimizing chemical treatments and filtration. With the help of his wife Edeltraut and their extended family, Hanspeter produces authentic red wines from Pinot noir, much planted and appreciated throughout Baden. |