| Region of production: | Côte de Beaune |
| Winery Location: | Savigny-Lès-Beaune |
| Year Established: | 1834 |
Vineyard Holdings
13.6 ha
- Corton Bressandes Grand Cru: 1.12 ha Pinot Noir, 0.4 ha Chardonnay
- Corton Renards Grand Cru: 0.2 ha Chardonnay
- Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru: 0.38 ha Pinot Noir; 60-year-old vines on fine, limestone soil
- Corton Maréchaudes Grand Cru: 0.4 ha Pinot Noir; 35-year-old vines on clayey soil
- Pernand-Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses Premier Cru: 1 ha Chardonnay, 3 ha Pinot Noir; 10- to 60-year-old vines on limestone and clay soils
- Pernand-Vergelesses Les Vergelesses Premier Cru: 1 ha Pinot Noir; 45-year-old vines on clay and limestone soils
- Savigny-Lès-Beaune Aux Fourneaux Premier Cru: 1.2 ha Pinot Noir; 50-year-old-vines on clay soil
- Savigny-Lès-Beaune Les Lavières Premier Cru: 2.6 ha Pinot Noir; 50-year-old vines on limestone soil
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Corton Blanc Grand Cru: from vines in Bressandes and Chaumes
- Charlemagne Grand Cru: from Renardes since 2011, as their previous lease on a parcel of En Charlemagne was lost after the 2009 vintage
- Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru
- Corton Maréchaudes Grand Cru
- Pernand-Vergelesses Ile des Vergelesses Premier Cru (red and white)
- Pernand-Vergelesses Les Vergelesses Premier Cru (red)
- Savigny-Lès-Beaune Aux Fourneaux Premier Cru (red)
- Savigny-Lès-Beaune Les Lavières Premier Cru (red)
Average Total Production
- 49,200 bottles
Summary
Chandon de Briailles is a historic domaine in the heart of Savigny-Lès-Beaune that has belonged to the de Nicolay family since 1834. Considering that many famous domaines in Burgundy occupy humble homes and cellars, Chandon de Briailles is unique in featuring a gorgeous, 18th-century manor house as the center of their domaine. The modern-day reputation of the domaine is owed to Nadine de Nicolay (wife of the Comte de Chandon de Briailles), who left Paris in 1984 to run the show here. Nadine’s daughter, Claude, joined her in 1989 after her studies in Dijon and work abroad in New Zealand and Oregon. Claude and her brother, François, have run the domaine together since 2001. François pushed for conversion to organic and biodynamic farming, which was completed in 2005, and the vineyards have been Demeter- and Ecocert-certified since 2011.
Style & Vinification Techniques
The Chandon de Briailles wines are notable for their lack of new oak – the winery buys eight new barrels a year from François Frères, purchases once-used barrels from Méo-Camuzet as needed, and uses barrels over 20 years old for fermentation and aging of their wines. White grapes are whole-cluster pressed, and the juice is settled for 48 hours before racking to older barrels for fermentation and aging. There is no bâtonnage for the whites, and bottling takes place after 15 to 20 months of aging – with no fining or filtration if possible.
The red wines are vinified with varying amounts of whole clusters: 100% whole-cluster for the top grands crus, and 100% de-stemming for the lower-tier reds. No yeasts are added, and fermentation starts cool and slow. The reds are fermented on the skins for 15 to 20 days and are usually pressed a few days after fermentation ends, depending on taste. Aging in mostly neutral barrels lasts 14 to 18 months for the reds, and the wines are not usually filtered or fined prior to bottling.
Producer Website: Chandon de Briailles