Domaine Chanson
Burgundy, France
Domaine Chanson is one of the great historic producers in Burgundy. Founded in 1750, they are 1 of only 6 producers in the region still remaining from the 18th century and earlier. Most critical to today, Chanson was purchased in 1999 and has been dramatically restored to once again become one of Burgundy’s top estates, best signified in 2017 by 3 of their wines earning “wine of the year” plaudits from the most renowned wine critic in France.
Chanson has extensive holdings of over 111 acres of exclusively Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in the heart of Burgundy. This includes 62 acres of Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte de Beaune, making them one of the leading Premier Cru specialists in the appellation. They produce approximately 17,000 cases of domaine wine per year from their vineyards by farming organically, and harvesting all grapes and vinifying all wines, even for contracted vineyards.
Requiring diligent viticulture and perfect ripeness, they vinify all whites and reds 100% whole cluster at their state of the art facility on the outskirts of Beaune. They use Champagne-style fractional pressing to gently extract the juice, and then age wines in barrel, with no more than 30% new oak for the reds and 20% new oak for the whites.
Aging takes place in the Bastion they own, 1 of the 5 massive towers from the 15th century fortifications that encircle the heart of medieval Beaune. Remarkably, Chanson acquired the Bastion just after the French Revolution. The thickness of the Bastion’s walls (an astonishing 24 feet thick at the base) ensure a constant temperature and level of humidity. The red wines are stored for 18-24 months in oak barrels in the vaulted cellars of the first 3 levels, each one dedicated to a separate vintage. On the 4th level, a huge circular cellar with a gigantic radial structure supported by chestnut beams shelters the white wines during fermentation, vinification and ageing in oak barrels.
Chanson’s wines are defined by lifted and exotic aromas, a supple texture, and rich, dense fruit without heaviness. Chanson is notably obsessed with maintaining top quality across its entire range. The regional and village wines are produced with the same precision and care as the Premier and Grand Crus, and are also artisanal in production. Chanson today occupies a unique position in offering outstanding and authentic wines from a range of both top and up-and-coming terroirs across Burgundy.
Learn more here.
Wines
Monthélie 1er Cru Le Clos Gauthey
Monthélie 1er Cru
Monthélie sits in the shadow of Volnay and Meursault, yet Le Clos Gauthey delivers wines of fantastic quality for a fraction of the price. West-facing on clay and limestone at the heart of the appellation, this Pinot Noir opens with violet, ripe red berries, spice, and a delicate vanilla note, with a silky, deep texture, elegant tannins, and a long, generous finish.
Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru
Corton-Vergennes
Corton-Vergennes is one of Burgundy's most storied Grand Cru parcels: a tiny 0.6-hectare plot on the Corton hill, once owned by Charles Gravier, Count of Vergennes, the French statesman who signed the Treaty of Alliance with Benjamin Franklin. Planted to Chardonnay on southeast-facing clay and limestone soils and aged up to 18 months in French oak, the wine is broad-shouldered and precise, with exotic fruit, mineral depth, and a freshness that carries the wine to an elegant finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves
Beaune 1er Cru
Les Grèves takes its name from the sandy, gravely soils of the Mont Battois hillside, where clay and sand produce Pinot Noir of remarkable purity. Domaine Chanson's 2-hectare parcel sits directly adjacent to the Clos des Fèves on an east-facing slope. Aged 20 months in French oak, it delivers ripe black berry fruit, a hint of vanilla, velvety texture, and well-integrated tannins on a long, fruity finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons
Beaune 1er Cru
Les Teurons sits at the heart of the Domaine Chanson Premier Cru holdings, a 3.8-hectare parcel in the center of the Beaune territory with a south-east exposure on clay, limestone, and sand soils. The mix of soil types gives the wine both structure and a supple, generous quality, with the sand contributing the freshness and aromatic lift that defines Les Teurons. Pinot Noir from this celebrated parcel opens with intense aromas of ripe red berries, violet, and spice, leading to a brisk, complex, and deep palate of tight texture and a long, spicy finish.
Rully Blanc
Rully
Rully is one of southern Burgundy's most underrated appellations for Chardonnay, consistently delivering wines of real freshness and mineral precision. Domaine Chanson's 9.6-hectare holding spans south-east and south-west facing slopes on clay and limestone, producing a wine that is floral, precise, and well-balanced, with citrus, mineral character, and a pure, fresh finish.
Beaune 1er Cru Champs Pimont
Beaune 1er Cru
Champs Pimont sits on the southern hill of Beaune, a 2-hectare parcel on the mid-slope with a south-east exposure on silt, marl, and limestone soils. This combination of position and soil gives the wine a distinctive elegance and purity, with the silt and marl contributing fine-grained tannins and a freshness that lifts the fruit. Pinot Noir from this parcel opens with delicate fragrances of violet and intense aromas of ripe black cherry, with a subtle vanilla note, a well-balanced and complex palate of tight texture, finely grained tannins, and a long, fruity finish.
Le Bastion Beaune 1er Cru Rouge
Beaune 1er Cru
Le Bastion Rouge draws from seven of Domaine Chanson's most important Beaune Premier Cru holdings across 10 hectares, including Clos du Roi, Clos des Marconnets, Bressandes, Teurons, Champs Pimont, Clos des Mouches, and the Clos des Fèves Monopole. Aged in the estate's 15th-century Bastion cellar, it delivers the full character of the Beaune hillside in a single wine: ripe red berries, spice, and vanilla, with a tight, deep texture and a long, spicy finish.
Le Bastion Beaune 1er Cru Blanc
Beaune 1er Cru
Le Bastion brings together selected parcels from Clos du Roi, Clos des Marconnets, and A l'Ecu, three of Domaine Chanson's most important holdings on the Beaune hillside, aged in the estate's own 15th-century Bastion cellar. Planted to Chardonnay on clay and limestone, it is floral and precise, with exotic fruit, citrus, and a hint of spice on a well-structured palate of tight texture and a long finish.
Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Bourgogne
The grapes for Domaine Chanson’s Bourgogne Rouge are sourced exclusively from select estate-owned vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, as well as several terroirs located in the southern part of the Côte de Beaune.
Bourgogne Chardonnay
Burgundy
This serious Bourgogne Blanc is pale gold in color with intense aromas of citrus fruit, green almond and an underlying minerality. On the palate, it is well-balanced, with very pure fruit and a racy acidity. The finish is refreshing. It's perfect with charcuterie, pâté and goat cheese.
Reviews
Domaine Chanson Gevrey-Chambertin La Perriere 1er Cru 2018 (92 WE)
- "A complex if not especially elegant nose combines notes of plum, dark currant, violet and a hint of wood influence. The succulent, rich and appealingly energetic flavors possess fine volume while display good length on the mouth coating, rustic, mildly warm and somewhat grippy finish that stops just short of being overtly chewy."
Domaine Chanson Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er Cru Domaine 2018 (92 WE)
- "Lifted freshness, as from herb-scented lemons, rises from the glass. The concentrated palate of this wine has a gentle texture that lets fruit speak, edged with pithiness that lends even more mouthfeel. The drive and energy of 2018 are captured well. It finishes dry and poised."
Domaine Chanson Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres Domaine 2018 (93 WE)
- "The nose on this wine is shy but reveals creamy vanilla, subtle lemon and ripe Mirabelle surrounded by gentle hazelnut. Smooth and fluid, the palate seemingly floats on a cloud of creaminess. It offers creamy harmony and a bright core of ripe lemon."
Domaine Chanson Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes Domaine 2018 (93 WE)
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"A vivid streak of ripe lemon on the nose of this wine promises freshness. The mellow, creamy body with its smooth concentration still harbors a little flinty reduction, but also has that gentle aromatic lemon streak, lending shape to the smooth and textured palate. This is elegant and vivid."
More on Domaine Chanson
Thierry Desseauve Features Domaine Chanson as Winery of the Year
June 10, 2020 - Thierry Desseauve, leading French Wine Critic and writer for the French consumer wine publication “Le Classement des Meilleurs Vins de France”, features Domaine Chanson as winery of the year. Desseauve…
Jean-Pierre Confuron of Domaine Chanson named Master of Pinot Noir
June 10, 2020 - Michel Bettane, legendary French Wine Critic and writer for the French consumer wine publication La Revue du vin de France, awards Domaine Chanson's winemaker Jean-Pierre Confuron a Master of Pinot…
People
Thierry Berger - Managing Director
Originally from Tours, Thierry Berger brings extensive executive leadership experience to Domaine Chanson. For over a decade, he led Soufflet Vigne, a key player in the French viticulture and winemaking industry. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with winegrowers, cooperatives, and wine merchants, offering agronomic, oenological, and technical expertise at every stage of their operations. His deep commitment to the wine sector is reflected in his hands-on support of the entire value chain. This appointment is part of Domaine Chanson’s ongoing momentum under the ownership of the Bollinger family group since 1999. It reinforces the estate’s
ambition to further develop and enhance the reputation of Chanson wines, both in France and internationally.
Trade Materials
Domaine Chanson Le Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2018 Tech Sheet
Spec Sheet | PDF
Domaine Chanson Viré-Clessé 2018 Tech Sheet
Spec Sheet | PDF
Maps
Videos
LIVE with Domaine Chanson
May 28, 2020 - VINTUS Brand Manager Anthony Cohen once again blesses us with his theatrical interviews, this time with none-other than burgundy producer Domaine Chanson. Watch the full interview below. [embed]https://vimeo.com/415545555#t=36s[/embed] https://vimeo.com/423155111
