Collecting guide: top Burgundy wine producers

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

The jewel in the crown of the Côte d’Or, this peerless estate commands a roll call of the greatest Grand Cru vineyards: Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Richebourg, Echézeaux and Grands-Echézeaux, among others.

Very few people are able to taste the magnificent wines that emanate from the old cuverie of the monks of Saint Vivant. Those who do are imbibing mythic beasts, pinot noir that displays aromatic fireworks, spherical structure and luscious texture.

The colourful nature of the wines is matched by the intriguing history of the estate: in 1760 it was the subject of a bidding war between Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and the king’s cousin, the Prince de Conti. The mistress’s pockets were not as big as the prince’s, and he handed over 8,000 livres for the estate, appending the best vineyard with his title. This regal pedigree is felt, even today, in the sumptuous and evolved nature of the wines.

Domaine Leroy

Lalou-Bize Leroy is a force of nature. She took over the reins of Maison Leroy in 1955 and maintained the high standards of her father Henri, who had been buying the best wines from up and down the Côte d’Or for production under his own label. The family were heavily tied to the other great name in Burgundy, the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, as part owners, and the quality of winemaking at both estates was so high that today the wines are among the most collectable in the world.

In the late 1980s Lalou bought vineyards, rather than just barrels as her father had, and started crafting handsome wines from plots such as Richebourg and Romanée St Vivant. She maintains that 90 per cent of the work of the estate is in the vineyard and she is an innovator, allowing the vines to flourish without cutting and overseeing a savage selection process.

Production is tiny — in great years such as 2010 only two barrels of Chambertin were produced. Sublime vintages of Domaine and Maison Leroy’s Grand Crus are lushly textured and rich with great ageing potential.

Domaine Dujac

Jacques Seysses was the scion of a wealthy biscuit-maker who traded tuiles and sables for elegant and luxurious grand cru burgundy. In 1969 he brought to market bottles of pinot poir from his base in Morey-Saint-Denis, before gradually expanding his vinous empire to include plots of the most famous names: Bonnes-Mares, Echézeaux and eventually Chambertin.

These and other stellar vineyards in Dujac’s portfolio make for a producer sought after and enjoyed by true connoisseurs. The house style has always been one of freshness and poise, with a sublime purity of fruit, and it is a style that Jacques’ sons Jeremy and Alec uphold to this day.

Domaine Georges Roumier

In 1924 Georges Roumier stood at the altar next to Genevieve Quanquin in the little town of Chambolle-Musigny. The marriage would not only bring happiness, love and a brood of children, but also a dowry which included some of the most revered vineyards in Burgundy.

Georges would go on to turn his hand to winemaking, and craft from these vineyards exquisite pinot noirs. Bonnes-Mares, Les Amoureuses and Musigny are among the domaine’s best wines, showing more structure and substance than other domaines.

The muscular nature of the wines is Roumier’s signature, despite the use of only 30 per cent of new-oak barrels for ageing. These are wines made in the vineyard, and the terroir-focused domaine maintains this style today under the aegis of Georges’ grandson, Christophe.

Domaine Rousseau

On a visit to Domaine Rousseau in 2018, I was standing in the cellar tasting from barrel when I was struck by how small this family run winery seemed. We were surrounded by the entire production, resting in the damp cool air and soon be bottled. The world waits to taste these gems, and we were extremely fortunate to be tasting them at this young stage.

This historic Domaine was created at the beginning of the 20th century by Armand Rousseau, who had inherited several parcels of vines located in Gevrey-Chambertin. Following the tragic death of Armand in 1959 in a car accident, the Domaine passed to Charles Rousseau who went on to acquire several plots of Grand Cru vineyards and establish the Domaine’s reputation on the global wine stage.

Today, the Domaine is run by Eric, Charles’s son, and Cyrielle, Eric’s daughter. Cyrielle brings her global knowledge to the Domaine having spent time in Oregon, Australia and New Zealand. The wines here age beautifully; they may appear pale in their youth but older examples are sublime. Domaine Rousseau is one of the greatest in all of Burgundy.

Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé

The apex of the portfolio of vines at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé is the seven hectares of Musigny Grand Cru. For Francois Millet, the winemaker, these stately old vines are patrician and the resultant wine is a noble old gentleman. Certainly the Musigny is as sophisticated and serious as the metaphor suggests: strong vintages suggesting a robe of rich cherry and raspberry fruit billowing over warm chocolate and a crème brûlée texture.

Stellar vintages such as 1990 and 2000 have an oriental spice element, with a spray of sumac, paprika and black pepper. Great care is taken with the production of the noble Musigny: only 3.8 hectares of the vines are used, as these are the oldest vines offering the most consistency and depth of character. The remaining vines in the parcel are used to produce a Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru. In most vintages, therefore, only 900 or so cases of the Musigny come to market. The result is a wine to be sought out and treasured.

Domaine Faiveley

With a history dating back to 1825, this domaine is now under the guidance of the young and forward-thinking Erwan and Eve Faiveley. This new generation has expanded the vineyard holdings in recent years, adding Pommard and Volnay, as well as white wines from Bâtard and Bienvenues-Bâtard Montrachet.

Today, Domaine Faiveley is one of the largest owners of classified vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Côte Challonnaise, with holdings of around 330 acres, one of the largest being Corton, Clos de Cortons. This vineyard produces a silky wine with plenty of fruit — a wine of real finesse.

Domaine J.F. Mugnier

The domaine has a history dating back to the 1880s and the great-great-grandfather of the current winemaker, Frédéric Mugnier, who owned the winemaking business alongside a Dijon-based company that also produced aperitifs, absinthes and the like. Domaine J.F. Mugnier’s renaissance began in 1985, however, which was the first vintage to be made by Frédéric Mugnier.

In 2004 Faiveley’s lease on the Clos de la Maréchale ended, and a new cuverie was built. The vines are now run almost organically; there is little use of new wood and wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Musigny, the flagship wine, is produced from vines planted in 1948 and 1962.

Frédéric is the second-largest owner of Musigny, with close to three acres. It is a truly remarkable wine — rich and voluptuous with great weight and balance.

Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

The Liger-Belair family history in Burgundy stretches back to 1815 with the purchase of the Château de Vosne-Romanée by the first General Liger-Belair. Its holdings grew, and at one point the domaine was the owner of La Tâche.

Unfortunately, in August 1933 the whole domaine had to be auctioned following a complicated succession. It wasn’t until 2000 that the young Louis Michel Comte Liger-Belair was able to start taking back some of his family’s former holdings, which had previously been exclusively marketed and made by Domaine Bouchard.

Today, the domaine has 12 vineyards — the jewel in the crown being La Romanée, a two-acre site producing one of the most sought-after wines in the world. Its tiny production has seen collectors fighting to acquire the odd bottle of a highly collectable wine of great delicacy and finesse.

Clos de Tart

Tracing its history back to 1141 with Cistercian nuns of Tart Abbey, Clos de Tart has only had three owners since the property was sold to the Marey-Monge family in 1791, who retained it until 1932. The Mommessin Family owned the domaine from 1932 to 2018, when it was acquired by Artemis Domaines.

With its 7.53 hectares, Clos de Tart is the largest of the five Grands Crus Monopoles in Burgundy. The reference to ‘Monopole’ indicates that the climate is entirely in sole ownership. This is quite rare in Burgundy as the plots, even the very small ones, have frequently been divided up over time and for inheritance reasons.

Clos de Tart is feminine and delicate, but with a full-bodied backbone. The plot is unusual in that the vines are planted north to south across the slope, rather than vertically up the ridge; this protects them from erosion, and assists drainage through the heavy soil.

Domaine Fourrier

With a long history under its previous guise as Domaine Pernot-Fourrier, this domaine was founded in the 1930s. Since 1994 it has thrived under the stewardship of Jean-Claude Fourrier, who worked with Henri Jayer and at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon, and combines the traditional with the very modern.

With holdings of around 22 acres and very limited use of chemicals, this domaine produces wines of purity and class, the epitome of their individual terroirs. Jean-Claude avoids sulphur, preferring to use temperature, CO2 and less contact to preserve his wines.

The domaine’s wines possess excellent balance and complexity, and have truly set their mark among the collecting community with recent releases.

Lucien Lemoine

Established in 1999, Lucien Lemoine is a small operation run by husband and wife team Mounir and Rotem Saouma. Having studied Viticulture and Oenology in Montpelier, followed by six years working in Burgundy and California, Mounir Saouma decided to create a small cellar and start crafting exquisite wines by hand.

The name Lucien Lemoine is a sort of pen-name: Lucien means ‘bringer of light’ and ‘Lemoine’ means ‘the monk’ — a nod to the few years Mounir spent at a Trappist Monastery. Normally made with a long élevage (the progression of wine between fermentation and bottling), the wines are neither fined nor filtered. We recommend they are decanted prior to consumption, an approach long debated in Burgundy.

Domaine Leflaive

The history of Domaine Leflaive stretches back to 1717 when Claude Leflaive settled in Puligny-Montrachet. The domaine as we know it today owes its’ existence to Joseph Leflaive (1870–1953), who was a native of Puligny-Montrachet and undertook a program of replanting, extension and enhancement following the phylloxera epidemic. After Joseph’s death in 1953 his four children took over the reins, creating a Société Civile d’Exploitation.

Today, the domaine is run by Brice de La Morandiere, the great grandson of Joseph Leflaive. Pierre Morey was estate manager from 1989 until Eric Remy took over in 2008.

The domaine’s almost 25 hectares of vineyards are mainly located in and around Puligny-Montrachet. Their holdings include 0.08 hectares of Le Montrachet, two hectares of Chevalier-Montrachet, 1.91 hectares of Bâtard-Montrachet, 1.6 hectares of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet Premier Crus; Le Clavoillon, Les Combettes, Les Folatières and Les Pucelles. Domaine Leflaive has been biodynamic since 1997.

Winemaking follows Burgundian tradition. The wines are fermented at between 18 to 24˚C, given 10 to 40 per cent light toast new oak (there is one 500-litre cask for the Montrachet) and, after 12 months, racked into stainless steel where they wait another six months before bottling. This is the very summit of white Burgundy — outstanding wines that have the capacity to be very long-lived and to develop richness, depth and complexity with bottle-age.

Domaine Ponsot

Originally from St Romain in Côte d'Or, William Ponsot purchased a wine estate in 1872 in Morey-St-Denis and set up home there. His major parcels of land at that time were Clos des Monts-Luisants and Clos de la Roche with cultivated fruit from other appellations including Charmes-Chambertin and Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes.

In the 1920s, William Ponsot’s nephew, Hippolyte, took over the Domaine after a career as a diplomat. He significantly expanded the size of the domaine and in 1932 he was one of the first producers to bottle his entire harvest at the domaine. Hippolyte, a trained lawyer, was also one of the founders of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) classification for Burgundy wines in 1935 and 1936.

Domaine Ponsot has built its reputation on producing wines in harmony with nature. Its grapes are largely left to their own devices, free from fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides, while the processes of farming and bottling are governed by the lunar calendar.

In 2022, the Ponsot celebrated its 150th anniversary with an auction of 200 lots, comprising more than 400 rare bottles, direct from the estate’s cellar.

Domaine Prieuré Roch

Domaine Prieuré Roch has achieved a cult-like status for its hieroglyph adorned labels that are a nod to the wine-making of ancient Egypt. Founded in 1988 by Henry Frédéric Roch (who passed away in 2018), the domaine was created by buying some parcels of vineyards which Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – of which Roch’s family is part-owner – was selling, in order to buy the large slice of Romanée St-Vivant Domaine Marey-Monge.

Inspired by his grand-father, Henry Leroy, legendary founder of the Maison Leroy, who became in 1942 co-owner of the DRC, Roch sought to make the purest and most natural expression possible of the Pinot Noir grape from great vineyard sites.

The domaine is focused on a minimal intervention approach: organic and biodynamic farming, whole bunch fermentation, and no added sulfur. This approach often results in what many believe is one of the truest expressions of Burgundian terroir.