The philosophy at Armand Heitz is simple; work with nature. Adopting regenerative agriculture and permaculture, the winery makes every possible effort to reduce the environmental impact of their farming and viticulture. The winemaking style aims to be the least interventionist as possible, but winemaking is not just a philosophy for Armand, it’s his history. In the mid-1800’s, the Nie-Vantey family had an empire of vineyards in Burgundy but sold off many of the vines. Fortunately, Armand’s great-grandfather kept several of the best Cote de Beaune plots in the family. Armand’s mother spent 25 years farming the property, rigorously adhering to the principles of organic viticulture. Now, Armand is growing and winemaking on the estate.

In the vineyard, their main objective is to bring life back to the soils; seeding, grassing, compost, and mulch are used to meet the specific needs of each plot. To further support a diversified and balanced farm, Armand expanded into animal husbandry, recognizing cattle as an essential part of this ecosystem. He also embraced crop rotation on each plot, both to diversify the animals’ nutrition and to improve the soil’s biological activity. Today, the farm is almost entirely self-sufficient.

All of this is the foundation for a vision that extends into the cellar. Here Armand uses whole-cluster fermentation and little intervention. The results are impeccable wines; reds of complexity and finesse, and elegant, balanced whites.