In the 1970s, Aubert de Villaine and his wife, Pamela, settled in the village of Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise. The domaine was horribly run-down when the de Villaines took over, but years of studying this unique terroir have made them pioneers in one of the last forgotten enclaves of Burgundy. The monks of the great abbey of Cluny first planted vines here in the twelfth century, leaving a legacy that has endured for centuries.

Bouzeron boasts the best Aligoté in Burgundy, the Aligoté Doré, which gives smaller yields to produce wines with more expressive aromatics. Although the grape was overlooked until 1979 when it first earned the appellation Bourgogne Aligoté de Bouzeron, the INAO finally upgraded the appellation to AOC Bouzeron in 1997, largely due to Aubert’s advocacy over the years. De Villaine’s single vineyard Bourgognes, both in blanc and rouge, are equally outstanding representations of the unlikely pedigree found in this corner of the region.

Domaine de Villaine—now led by Aubert’s nephew Pierre de Benoist—farms three appellations within the Côte Chalonaise, namely Bouzeron (Aligoté), Rully (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Mercurey (Pinot Noir). Their single-vineyard parcels are stunning examples of what this complex and amazing terroir can yield. Here, vines are grown exclusively on the slopes. The nutrient-poor, limestone-rich soil allows precise yield control, while a warm microclimate favors ripening of the grapes. Though their wines are quite enjoyable young, their ability to age well is what one might expect from a master such as de Villaine. Much of this is due to both the diversity of his vinestock and his organic and biodynamic methodology in the vineyards, both of which Aubert and Pierre stand by with great conviction.